Chet Holmgren is one of the finest young big men in the NBA. In Game 2, he proved he was one of the NBA’s finest actors as well.
The Oklahoma City Thunder’s 24-year-old big man delivered the most egregious flop of the playoffs so far in the first quarter of Thursday’s 125-107 win over the Los Angeles Lakers. Holmgren threw himself to the ground and grabbed his face after the referees called a foul on Deandre Ayton, only for the call to be reversed after a replay review showed the foul was committed by Holmgren.
Chet Holmgren isn’t helping the Oklahoma City Thunder’s reputation
The Thunder have been a historically great team for the last two seasons, winning the title last year and going 64-18 this year while outscoring opponents by 11.1 points per game. But they’ve also developed a reputation as “foul merchants,” something opposing fans have chanted at the Thunder since their series with the Minnesota Timberwolves last spring.
Much of the ire is directed at reigning MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who is one of the NBA’s best scorers and one of its most effective foul-drawers. But even SGA’s most extreme head snaps, arm flails and undeserved shouts of “And one!” pale in comparison to what Holmgren attempted against Ayton.
Holmgren actually fouled Ayton first by grabbing his arm and got called for it after Lakers coach JJ Redick challenged the call. While Ayton’s arm did make contact with Holmgren’s chest, it came nowhere near his face. That didn’t stop Holmgren from lying on the floor and holding two hands over his mouth, perhaps trying to muffle his laughter.
