Chet Holmgren, Thunder out to stay unbeaten vs. visiting Kings

Chet Holmgren continues to improve in his third NBA season.

Through four games heading into the undefeated Oklahoma City Thunder's home matchup with the Sacramento Kings on Tuesday, Holmgren is averaging 23.0 points and 10.3 rebounds while shooting 56.9% from the floor.

In his first two seasons in the league -- after sitting out 2022-23 with injury -- Holmgren averaged 16.1 points and 7.9 rebounds while shooting 51.9%.

Holmgren is showing plenty of improvement over last season, when he was limited to just 32 regular-season games before playing a significant role in the playoffs as the Thunder won their first NBA title.

"He's a better player than where he ended last year," Oklahoma City coach Mark Daigneault said of Holmgren. "He had a good summer."

The 7-foot-1 Holmgren entered the league as a lanky big who could hit shots from all over the floor but who sometimes struggled physically inside.

That has shifted this season.

"Confidence, but also just playing through contact," teammate Isaiah Hartenstein said of the improvement he's seen in Holmgren. "I think that's what he's been a lot better in. I've been with him all summer. ... You're seeing his confidence, you're seeing him being healthy.

"He's one of the best bigs in the league."

The Thunder are on the second night of a back-to-back after a 101-94 win in Dallas on Monday.

In that game, Holmgren scored 18 as Oklahoma City let a 22-point fourth-quarter lead shrink to one before finishing off the Mavericks.

Early on, the Thunder are keeping up their defensive dominance from last season.

Oklahoma City and the Chicago Bulls are tied for first with a 104.4 defensive rating -- points allowed per 100 possessions.

The Kings are 29th in the league in rebounding percentage at 44.2%.

Sacramento is coming off a 127-120 loss to the Lakers on Sunday in which the Kings attempted 28 fewer free throws than Los Angeles.

"We've just got to do a better job of not fouling the jump shooter," Sacramento's Dennis Schroder said.

The Kings have gotten plenty of production on both ends of the floor from Zach LaVine, who has scored at least 30 points in each of Sacramento's three games.

"Zach is playing at a really, really high level," Kings coach Doug Christie said. "I'm not even concerned with the points. He's competing on the defensive end. ... The defensive commitment that he continues to show is to be commended.

"That's how you win and he's committed to trying to win."

The contest is the first of a four-game road trip for the Kings, who are on the first night of a back-to-back.

The matchup is the first of three this season between Oklahoma City and Sacramento, with all three coming in the first month.

Oklahoma City took two of the three meetings last season.

The Kings will be without rookie Nique Clifford for the third consecutive game after he suffered a right hamstring strain in the season opener. Keegan Murray also remains out with a torn thumb ligament.

--Field Level Media