Chet Holmgren returns for NBA-best Thunder after missing nearly 3 months

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) Chet Holmgren's return from injury makes the NBA-best Thunder even better.

Last season's runner-up for rookie of the year was back in Oklahoma City's starting lineup on Friday night after missing nearly three months with a pelvic fracture .

The versatile 7-foot-1 forward had four points, five rebounds, four blocks and two steals during the Thunder's 121-109 win over the Toronto Raptors.

Its amazing, he said.

I missed it for a long time, and I worked really hard to be able to get back out there.

So Im happy and excited and look forward to continue to try and help us win and keep improving.

He played 22 minutes and the Thunder outscored the Raptors by 22 points while he was on the floor.

Holmgren was the second pick in the 2022 draft and missed what would have been his rookie season with a foot injury.

He played all 82 games in 2023-24, averaging 16.5 points and 7.9 rebounds to help the Thunder earn the No.

1 seed in the West.

He averaged 16.4 points and 8.7 rebounds in 10 games this season before getting injured.

He wasn't expected to approach those numbers on Friday.

It ties a bow on his return to play.

His return to performance isnt over, Thunder coach Mark Daigneault said.

It takes a while for a guy thats been out that long, especially a lower-body injury, to get himself back to game shape, endurance, rhythm, all those things.

And so well continue to work with him on probably a week-to-week basis.

But it was a great start.

Holmgren could afford to ease his way in because his absence did little to slow MVP contender Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and the Thunder, who sit comfortably atop the Western Conference standings.

They improved to 41-9 with the win over Toronto.

Still, there was high anticipation for his return.

Holmgren was cheered during pregame warmups , and the crowd was even louder when he became the first Thunder player introduced .

Holmgren's first basket was a floater from 4 feet away just over two minutes into the game.

On Oklahoma City's next basket, Holmgren drove to the paint, spun and found center Isaiah Hartenstein, who drove to the lane and made a floater .

Holmgren's second and last field goal, also in the first quarter, was set up by the footwork fans have come to expect.

With his back to the basket, he jab-stepped right, then spun left and hit a fadeaway from just inside the free-throw line .

In the fourth quarter, he stuffed a dunk attempt by Scottie Barnes , his most emphatic play of the night.

Holmgren and fellow big man Hartenstein played together for the first time all season.

Hartenstein, a free-agent pickup this past summer, missed the early part of the season with a broken left hand .

Holmgren only took five shots because he knew he didn't need to score to affect the game.

Its not going to be the Chet Holmgren show, he said.

This is the Thunder.

Whether I had an injury or not, thats what it is.

Im just trying to go out there and help the team win in any way I can.

Im not expecting to become like a sideshow apart from what our goal is going out there every single night, and thats to win basketball games.

Daigneault said inserting such a talented player into a group that's having success can present challenges.

He commended Holmgren for being a good teammate and making it easier.

Were not asking for it to be perfect," he said.

"Its one of those things that, if it requires one step backwards to take two steps forward, were willing to do that because we think its got a really high ceiling.

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