OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — Chet Holmgren made every shot he took against Golden State.
The versatile Thunder forward went 9-for-9 shooting from the field, made both of his 3-pointers and all three of his free throw attempts. He had 23 points and 11 rebounds to help Oklahoma City roll past the Warriors 126-102 on Tuesday night.
Holmgren did not realize during the game that he was chasing perfection. He didn’t play in the fourth quarter because the Thunder had the game well in hand.
“I wasn’t really paying attention,” he said. "I was just trying to make plays, win the basketball game. I didn’t see that 'til afterwards. But I knew I was shooting pretty good.”
Thunder coach Mark Daigneault said Holmgren’s movement in transition, spacing and creativity within the system have helped him succeed. He felt a breakout performance was inevitable given the way Holmgren had been playing.
“I think that’s been brewing since the beginning of the season,” Daigneault said.
Holmgren is one of the main reasons the Thunder are off to an 11-1 start. He has increased his output and become more efficient while helping fill the void left by Jalen Williams, the All-Star who is recovering from wrist surgery and has not played this season.
Through eight games, the 7-foot-1 Holmgren is averaging 19.6 points and 8.9 rebounds per game. He’s shooting 59.3% from the field, 37.1% from 3-point range and 87.8% from the free-throw line.
He missed 50 games last season after suffering a pelvic injury from a fall, and though he came back and helped the team win the NBA title, he felt he looked slow and didn’t have enough lift on his shot. He said the keys to his growth are what he learned from last year's championship run and what he did with that knowledge in the offseason.
“I’ve learned how to get better now,” he said. “I know what I have to get better at. Before, I was just working hard because I wanted to work hard. And that’s kind of just what I do. And I love to play basketball every day. But going through a long playoff stretch and winning the Finals, you really get the best shot up to seven times in a row from really good teams. And that teaches you what you have to work on.”
AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/NBA
Oklahoma City Thunder center/forward Chet Holmgren (7) celebrates after a dunk against the Golden State Warriors during the first half of an NBA basketball game, Tuesday, Nov. 11, 2025, in Oklahoma City. (AP Photo/Gerald Leong)
Oklahoma City Thunder center/forward Chet Holmgren (7) shoots against Golden State Warriors during the second half of an NBA basketball game, Tuesday, Nov. 11, 2025, in Oklahoma City. (AP Photo/Gerald Leong)
PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Bruce Brown scored 19 points and got the winning bucket in overtime off a goaltending call on Joel Embiid, and Jalen Pickett had 29 points to lead the short-handed Denver Nuggets to a 125-124 win over the Philadelphia 76ers on Monday night.
Embiid was whistled for the decisive goaltend when he tried to block Brown's running layup with 5.3 seconds left. Tyrese Maxey missed a winning floater for the Sixers at the horn.
Embiid scored 32 points — the fourth time in his last eight games he has scored 30 — and Maxey had 28
The Nuggets played without three-time MVP Nikola Jokic — out at least until the end of the month with a with a hyperextended left knee — Jamal Murray, Aaron Gordon, Christian Braun and others a night after a loss at Brooklyn.
The entire regular starting lineup sat out, and the Nuggets had only nine available players.
Peyton Watson added 24 points for Denver.
The Nuggets refused to use their lighter roster as an excuse to pack it in against the Sixers.
Hunter Tyson converted a four-point play that gave Denver a 102-100 lead in the fourth and Pickett followed with a 2-footer that forced the 76ers into a timeout and served as the highlights of a 14-0 run.
Brown snapped a tie game with a 3-pointer and made 2 of 3 free throws for a 120-115 lead when he was fouled on a 3-pointer on the next possession. That miss in the middle doomed Denver in regulation.
VJ Edgecombe hit a 3 that made it 120-118 and Maxey tied the game on a driving layup with 49 seconds left that sent the game into OT tied 120-all. Edgecombe, the No. 3 pick of the draft and having a sensational rookie season, also gave the Sixers their last lead in OT on a dunk just before Brown's goaltended winner.
The 76ers returned from a 3-2 road trip — that included all three wins on the backend.
Denver plays Wednesday at Boston.
The 76ers host Washington on Wednesday.
AP NBA: https://www.apnews.com/hub/NBA
Philadelphia 76ers' Tyrese Maxey (0) goes up to shoot against Denver Nuggets' Daron Holmes II during the first half of an NBA basketball game Monday, Jan. 5, 2026, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke)
Philadelphia 76ers' Tyrese Maxey (0) goes up to shoot against Denver Nuggets' Peyton Watson during the first half of an NBA basketball game Monday, Jan. 5, 2026, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke)
Philadelphia 76ers' Quentin Grimes (5) goes up to shoot against Denver Nuggets' Spencer Jones (21) and Jalen Pickett (24) during the first half of an NBA basketball game Monday, Jan. 5, 2026, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke)
Denver Nuggets' Hunter Tyson (5) goes up to shoot against Denver Nuggets' Spencer Jones during the first half of an NBA basketball game Monday, Jan. 5, 2026, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke)
Philadelphia 76ers' Joel Embiid tries to get a shot past Denver Nuggets' Jalen Pickett (24) and Daron Holmes II during the first half of an NBA basketball game Monday, Jan. 5, 2026, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke)
