Thunder rookie Chet Holmgren throws another seven-block party as DPOY buzz continues to grow.

DPOY Thunder continues to throws Another Party as…

Since Tim Duncan in 1998, Holmgren is the first rookie to have two consecutive games with seven blocks.
Brad Botkin

Chet Holmgren, the big man for the Oklahoma City Thunder, has earned his place as a front-runner for Rookie of the Year. He may even be ahead of San Antonio sensation Victor Wembanyama. Currently, he is dominating the Defensive Player of the Year rankings, placing him third at several sportsbooks behind only Anthony Davis and Rudy Gobert.

He has also earned that.

Following up his eight blocks in Saturday’s OKC victory over Denver, Holmgren stopped seven more shots in Monday’s victory over the Grizzlies. With this accomplishment, Holmgren became the first rookie to record at least seven blocks in a row since Tim Duncan in 1998.

Over a two-game span, Holmgren’s 15 blocks matches Serge Ibaka’s record for the most in Thunder history. Jaren Jackson Jr.’s volleyball spike is trending on social media, and for good reason:

Holmgren averages 2.8 blocks per game, which puts him third in the league. With 71 total blocks, he is level with Victor Wembanyama for second place. According to Cleaning the Glass, he blocks 4.2% of all shots attempted while on the floor, ranking him fifth in block percentage.

Based on NBA tracking data, opponents defending against Holmgren are only making 50.6% of their attempts inside of six feet. That’s the lowest record in the league among all players who defend at least nine attempts inside six feet each game, and it represents a drop of more than 11% from the average conversion rate on such shots.

The game is “slowing down” for Holmgren, according to Thunder coach Mark Daigneault. Holmgren concurs that he is naturally growing more at ease as he receives more repetitions. Holmgren also mentioned his unique defensive strategies for various players, indicating that he is growing more knowledgeable about the habits and inclinations of his opponents and using that knowledge to shape his coverages.

Angles, those little patches of land that make the difference between a block and a bucket, are won in this manner. However, Holmgren adds that he’s simply been given more freedom to play defense, which allows him to have an even greater influence.

“Im doing different things on defense [than I was early in the season],” Holmgren stated. “In the beginning, every game was essentially pick-and-roll coverage. Now, it’s that combined with playing the shell, along with simply flying around during transition possessions and matching up with the nearest player, particularly when facing small-sided or shoot-heavy teams. I’m gaining knowledge from each encounter.”

Let’s just say that it’s effective. According to CTG, the Thunder have a top-five defense and are giving up four fewer points per 100 possessions than they did in Holmgren’s absence last season. I’m not sure what will convince me that Holmgren is a worthy DPOY candidate if this.