Thursday, February 6th 2025, 10:51 am
Oklahoma City Thunder big man Chet Holmgren is set to return to the court Friday night against the Toronto Raptors after being removed from the team’s injury reserve list, ESPN reports.
Holmgren has been sidelined since Nov. 10 due to a hip injury but is now cleared to rejoin the Thunder as they continue their dominant run in the Western Conference.
Previous Reports: Chet Holmgren Out 8 To 10 Weeks Due To Hip Injury
Thunder reporter Steve McGehee reacted to the news, sharing his excitement about Holmgren’s unexpected return.
"I was half asleep because we had a late game last night. For some reason, I woke up to the vibration of the phone. I thought, let me check this one out. And then I had to, you know, wipe the sleep off my eyes and like, is this the right name and everything? Is this the phony account? And I'm like, no, this is legit," he said.
Holmgren’s recovery timeline was originally expected to extend into March, but with Oklahoma City’s careful approach to injuries, his early return suggests he is fully ready.
"Oklahoma City is an organization that's not going to rush back anyone. There was no real reason to rush him back. But if he's ready to go, he's ready to go," McGehee said.
The Thunder, who currently hold the best record in the Western Conference at 40-9, have thrived despite missing Holmgren and other key players throughout the season.
"They picked up their 40th win last night. I think they're the 31st team to get 40 wins before 10 losses. That's impressive without Chet and without a lot of other guys as well," McGehee said.
With Holmgren back, Oklahoma City’s team morale is expected to be even stronger.
"Everybody yesterday and probably some today are trying to make trades to compete with these guys to maybe knock them off in the Western Conference Finals. But right now, with the addition of Chet coming back, I think Oklahoma City is still the team to beat," McGehee said.
The Thunder have averaged over 130 points per game in their last three home wins, making them a dangerous matchup for opponents.
"I feel sorry for Toronto tomorrow. That could be ugly," McGehee added.
Holmgren was on pace for a potential All-Star selection before his injury, and while he won’t be participating this year, McGehee believes he will have plenty of chances in the future.
"He was probably projected to make the All-Star game this year. That's how great he was starting out the young season, so he misses out on that, but you know what? There's always next year, and the way he plays, I've got a feeling he's going to be an All-Star eventually," McGehee said.
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