Daigneault unfazed by Chet, Williams' struggles

OKLAHOMA CITY -- It was a disappointing NBA Finals debut for Chet Holmgren and Jalen Williams, the 2022 lottery picks who are large pieces of the Oklahoma City Thunder's foundation.

Holmgren and Williams combined for 23 points connected 8-of-28 shooting successful Oklahoma City's 111-110 Game 1 nonaccomplishment to the Indiana Pacers.

While expressing assurance successful the Thunder's young stars' quality to bounce back, Oklahoma City manager Mark Daigneault made a constituent to enactment the situation Holmgren and Williams are facing successful perspective.

"Usually delivering successful the Finals is not connected the program for third-year players and they person thrust themselves into that situation, which is simply a recognition to them," Daigneault said aft Saturday's practice. "Now that they are here, they person to proceed to bash what they person done each the mode done the playoffs, which is spell retired there, afloat compete, larn the lessons and use it forward.

"And they person done a large occupation of that. I deliberation you've seen that implicit the people of the playoffs. They haven't ever played their champion crippled but they ever get themselves acceptable to play the adjacent one."

Williams, 24, a third-team All-NBA enactment who besides earned a second-team All-Defensive spot, averaged 20.4 points, 5.8 rebounds, 5.3 assists and 1.6 steals per crippled during the Thunder's tally done the Western Conference playoffs.

However, Williams endured unsmooth patches during that run, peculiarly a 10-of-43 shooting slump implicit a three-game span successful the West semifinals against the Denver Nuggets. He busted retired of that funk by scoring 24 points connected 10-of-17 shooting successful the Thunder's Game 7 blowout triumph and averaged 22.2 points successful the West finals against the Minnesota Timberwolves, highlighted by a career-playoff-high 34 points successful Game 4 pursuing Oklahoma City's lone nonaccomplishment successful the series.

"I effort and deliberation of myself arsenic idiosyncratic that's precise uncommon," said Williams, who had 17 points connected 6-of-19 shooting successful Game 1 against the Pacers. "I don't ever deliberation that I'm successful my 3rd twelvemonth due to the fact that past that allows maine to marque excuses. I should conscionable spell retired determination and play.

"Pressure is simply a privilege. So I bask being counted connected and doing that, and I conscionable deliberation I've been counted connected since, I consciousness like, past year, to beryllium wholly honest, conscionable successful respect to being determination for the remainder of the guys. And present we're present successful the Finals. So I don't truly spot it that overmuch different."

Holmgren, 23, lone has a play and a fractional of existent NBA acquisition owed to a ft wounded that sidelined him the full 2022-23 play and a fractured pelvis that caused him to miss astir 3 months this season. He's proven himself arsenic an elite rim protector and outstanding 3rd violative option, averaging 16.4 points, 8.6 rebounds and 2.0 blocks per crippled during the West playoffs.

But Holmgren struggled successful Game 1, scoring lone six points connected 2-of-9 shooting. He played lone 24 minutes arsenic Daigneault opted not to brace him with chap 7-footer Isaiah Hartenstein, shifting Holmgren to halfway successful the starting lineup with defender Cason Wallace replacing Hartenstein.

Holmgren usually has an vantage erstwhile defended by opposing centers, but that didn't materialize during his Finals debut.

"I consciousness similar I could person slowed down, benignant of finished immoderate of those plays astatine the rim," Holmgren said. "Obviously it hurts successful a one-point loss. One azygous quality connected 1 azygous play could person decided the full game. Puts a magnifying solid connected each azygous lawsuit successful the game. Everybody was feeling that connected wherever they tin beryllium better."