NBA FINALS: THUNDER VS. PACERS

June 12, 2025

Chet Holmgren

Oklahoma City Thunder

Practice Day

Q. Talking specifically about Game 3, what do you think you need to do for Game 4?

CHET HOLMGREN: I feel like we have to get back to being who we are, especially on the defensive end, being more connected. We have to close out possessions. On the other side, we have to take care of the ball and execute to the level and standard that we expect from us.

Q. When you guys aren't as connected as you'd like to be defensively, how does that show up on the court?

CHET HOLMGREN: I'd say it can be a multitude of things. It can be a different thing on every possession, from being off people’s bodies, to not communicating through actions, not helping the helper, not having each other's back, not being at the rim when you need to help, not winning a closeout. It can be any number of things.

No game's going to be perfect. We have to try and clean up as many of those instances as we can.

Q. How do you guys usually follow up a game where you're not as connected as you usually are?

CHET HOLMGREN: We usually make a point of it on film and show all the different areas that we need to be better, kind of make those points of emphasis. Coming into the next game, we try and clean those things up.

Q. Talking about Game 4, how big is it for you guys? The Pacers can make 3-1 in the series. At the same time you can make it 2-2.

CHET HOLMGREN: It's extremely important. Every game is extremely important. Doesn't matter what the series score is. At the end of the day, it's the first team to four wins.

It's extremely important. There's no other way to put it. We have a great opportunity here coming up to go out and win a basketball game, take back home-court advantage. We have to understand the opportunity that we have and make the most of it.

Q. Has their stamina surprised you at all, their ability to take a punch, keep coming? In the fourth quarter they seemed to get stronger than earlier in the game. Has that surprised you?

CHET HOLMGREN: I wouldn't say it surprised me. That's kind of been I guess you could say their identity leading up to this series. It's what's showed up in the games up to this point. We have to figure out a way to counteract that and kind of change that and swing it in our favor because it's not a winning formula to not be better than the other team in the fourth quarter.