OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — Chet Holmgren hasn’t quite been himself on offense during the NBA Finals.
The Oklahoma City Thunder's versatile 7-foot-1 forward averaged 18 points per game on 57% shooting from the field in the Western Conference finals against the Minnesota Timberwolves. Those totals have dropped to 11.3 points on 35.3% shooting against the Indiana Pacers.
In Game 6 of the finals, Holmgren scored just four points on 2-for-9 shooting as the Pacers rolled to a 108-91 win. He acknowledged afterward that he’ll need to improve in the decisive Game 7 on Sunday in Oklahoma City.
“I personally, myself, could be better trying to help us get things going in the right way,” he said after Game 6.
Holmgren hasn't panicked. He said a balanced approach to handling difficult games has served him well throughout his career.
“You can’t obsess over it to the point where it has a negative effect,” he said. “But you also can’t just completely detach from it to the point where you don’t care about it."
Holmgren has made just 11.8% of his 3-pointers against Indiana. He said he doesn't worry about numbers as much as he focuses on effort and mentality.
“I do everything I can — good or bad, win or loss — I do everything I can to be better and improve after each game,” he said. “That doesn’t guarantee anything, but that’s kind of just the process that I’ve always had.”
Pacers coach Rick Carlisle knows Holmgren is capable of doing damage. Holmgren had 20 points and 10 rebounds in Game 4 and 14 points and 15 rebounds in Game 5.
“He is a great young player, and he has had a lot of stretches where we have not dealt with him well,” Carlisle said.
Bouncing back from a few bad games is nothing compared with recovering from a foot injury that cost him his entire first season in 2022-23 and a pelvic injury that cost him 50 games this season.
“I wouldn’t say I enjoyed the injuries, but other than that, I’ve pretty much enjoyed the whole ride,” Holmgren said. “It’s a beautiful thing, the easy parts, the hard parts, good parts, the bad parts, it’s all part of it. I would say I enjoy it all.”
After all that, he’s one win from an NBA title in his second season of action. He is thankful to be in this position given how his season started. He’s trying not to overthink the situation heading into Game 7.
“You have to take the emotions out of it, even though it’s everything you dreamed of, and you just have to try and do what you can to continue to prepare how you’ve prepared all year," he said.
AP NBA: https://apnews.com/nba
Oklahoma City Thunder forward Chet Holmgren (7) battle Indiana Pacers forward Pascal Siakam (43) and forward Aaron Nesmith for the ball during the second half of Game 5 of the NBA Finals basketball series, Monday, June 16, 2025, in Oklahoma City. (AP Photo/Kyle Phillips)
Oklahoma City Thunder forward Chet Holmgren looks to shoot under pressure from Indiana Pacers forward Aaron Nesmith, left, during the first half of Game 6 of the NBA Finals basketball series, Thursday, June 19, 2025, in Indianapolis. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)
Oklahoma City Thunder forward Chet Holmgren (7) shoots over Indiana Pacers center Tony Bradley (13) during the first half of Game 6 of the NBA Finals basketball series, Thursday, June 19, 2025, in Indianapolis. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)
Arsenal ensured it will end the year top of the Premier League after beating Aston Villa 4-1 at home in a powerful statement win on Tuesday with all goals scored in the second half.
The fourth goal, scored by substitute Gabriel Jesus one minute after coming on, highlighted the depth of Arsenal's bench this season and coach Mikel Arteta jubilantly high-fived his assistants at the final whistle.
Victory moved Arsenal five points ahead of Manchester City, which plays at Sunderland on New Year's Day, and six points clear of third-place Villa.
Elsewhere, Chelsea drew 2-2 at home to Bournemouth; Newcastle won 3-1 at lowly Burnley; and Manchester United was held 1-1 at home to rock-bottom Wolverhampton.
Struggling West Ham drew 2-2 with visiting Brighton, and Everton won 2-0 at Nottingham Forest.
No Arsenal player is near the top of the scorers’ charts this season, yet sharing the goals around might just be the team’s strength.
Defender Gabriel Magalhães headed home early in the second half following a corner for set-piece specialist Arsenal, and midfielder Martín Zubimendi netted in the 52nd minute.
Winger Leandro Trossard curled in a fine third from the edge of the penalty area in the 69th and was involved in the fourth goal, curled into the same corner from almost the same spot in the 78th minute by Jesus after Arsenal had launched a superb counterattack from deep.
The win was even more impressive considering Arsenal was missing key midfielder Declan Rice with a knee injury and Villa was playing on the back of 11 straight victories in all competitions.
Gabriel nodded in from close range and was deemed not to have impeded Villa goalkeeper Emiliano Martínez with his elbow.
Zubimendi finished confidently after captain Martin Ødegaard expertly won the ball in midfield and advanced before threading a perfect ball behind Villa’s defense.
Ollie Watkins grabbed an injury-time consolation for Villa.
Bournemouth's David Brooks netted early from close range after Chelsea failed to deal with a throw-in from the right.
Cole Palmer equalized in the 15th with a penalty awarded after a video review ruled that Antoine Semenyo’s knee had gone into the back of forward Estevão’s leg.
Midfielder Enzo Fernández gave Chelsea the lead midway through the first half, but Chelsea gifted Bournemouth an equalizer when a defender headed on a throw-in from the left and Justin Kluivert scored at the back post for 2-2.
Chelsea is fifth and level on 30 points with United in sixth.
Manchester United led through Joshua Zirkzee’s deflected strike in the 27th but Ladislav Krejčí equalized close to halftime for Wolves with a powerful downward header.
It was Wolves manager Rob Edwards' first point since taking charge in November.
Patrick Dorgu’s injury-time goal for United was ruled out for offside by VAR.
Yoane Wissa grabbed his first league goal since joining from Brentford as Newcastle moved into 10th spot.
Newcastle was 2-0 up inside seven minutes with Joelinton being set up from the left wing by Anthony Gordon and Wissa bundling in from close range following a goalmouth scramble.
Josh Laurent pulled a goal back for Burnley midway through the first half. Newcastle survived nervy moments before Bruno Guimarães sealed the win with an expert lob in stoppage time.
Next-to-last Burnley is two points behind West Ham in 18th.
Everton netted in the 19th when James Garner drilled in a low finish after being set up down the right by Dwight McNeil.
Garner then turned neatly in midfield before feeding Thierno Barry with a defense-splitting pass to make it 2-0 against Forest in the 79th.
West Ham took an early lead against Brighton when striker Jarrod Bowen latched onto Lucas Paquetá’s exquisite through ball from halfway and struck a low shot into the bottom corner.
Veteran forward Danny Welbeck equalized for Brighton from the penalty spot for his eighth goal of the season, and then hit the crossbar with a Panenka-style chipped penalty later in the first half.
Paquetá converted his spot kick with a staggered run-up in first-half injury time, but Joël Veltman equalized for Brighton in the 61st following a corner.
Defending champion Liverpool hosts Leeds on Thursday.
AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer
Manchester United's Joshua Zirkzee celebrates after he scored the opening goal during the English Premier League soccer match between Manchester United and Wolverhampton Wanderers in Manchester, England, Tuesday, Dec. 30, 2025. (AP Photo/Dave Thompson)
Chelsea's Joao Pedro, top, helps Wesley Fofana stand up after the English Premier League soccer match between Chelsea and Bournemouth in London, England, Tuesday, Dec. 30, 2025. (AP Photo/Kin Cheung)
Arsenal's Gabriel, left, celebrates after scoring his side's opening goal during the English Premier League soccer match between Arsenal and Aston Villa in London, Tuesday, Dec. 30, 2025. (AP photo/Alastair Grant)
Arsenal's Gabriel Jesus celebrates after scoring his side's fourth goal during the English Premier League soccer match between Arsenal and Aston Villa in London, Tuesday, Dec. 30, 2025. (AP photo/Alastair Grant)
Arsenal's Martin Zubimendi celebrates after scoring his side's second goal during the English Premier League soccer match between Arsenal and Aston Villa in London, Tuesday, Dec. 30, 2025. (AP photo/Alastair Grant)
