Thunder’s Mark Daigneault credits Chet Holmgren for having ‘the gas early’ in Game 5

The Oklahoma City Thunder need just one more win to make the NBA Finals for the second year in a row.

The reigning NBA champs took Game 5 of their 2026 Western Conference Finals series against the San Antonio Spurs on Tuesday night to the tune of a 127-114 score at Paycom Center in Oklahoma City.

The Thunder can credit numerous contributors to their success in that contest, and it should certainly include big man Chet Holmgren, who got a shoutout after the game from head coach Mark Daigneault.

“He was on the gas early and was ready to play,” Daigneault said of Holmgren during a postgame press conference, via Clemente Almanza of The Thunder Wire.

The former Gonzaga Bulldogs star produced 16 points on an efficient 6-for-9 shooting from the floor with 11 rebounds, a block, a steal and an assist in 30 minutes. On top of that, he played a big role in slowing down Spurs star Victor Wembanyama, who needed 15 shots from the field to generate 20 points.

Holmgren’s scoring production in Game 5 was his highest to date in the Western Conference Finals. His presence on both ends of the court will be needed by the Thunder until they get the job done.

Together with Isaiah Hartenstein (12 points, 15 rebounds in Game 5), Holmgren will try to hold the fort again in the frontcourt for Oklahoma City.

It will be interesting to see whether he can sustain his form in Game 6, with Oklahoma City looking to close out the Spurs series at Frost Bank Center in San Antonio on Thursday.

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