Hannah Montana, one of the greatest songwriters of our time, wrote: “No one is perfect. You live and learn over and over until you get it right.” Whether this game was played in Montana or Denver, Thunder rising star Chet Holmgren wasn’t perfect, but it was pretty close.

In his second season debut, Holmgren looked to have converted from an already high starting spot. With whispers and bold statements about how much of a leap forward you can expect from the Gonzaga product in one year, the seven-footer looked every bit the part of an All-Star (dare I say All-NBA) player. to be.

This can largely be attributed to his physical development. While his frame still doesn’t jump off the page, he’s noticeably improved from a year ago, as Thunder head coach Mark Daigneault explained, and that’s reflected in his play.

“I think that, more than anything, is a testament to what he’s doing with his body. I think where he was physically a year ago and where he is now. I mean, he was moving with Jokic every minute. He’s incredibly physical, especially off the ball, around the basket.” Stuff like that on him and he didn’t really flinch, he stepped up during the game and we all know he’s a great player, that’s a lot better,” Daigneault said.

When asked if he agreed with Daigneault’s assessment of his body, Holmgren said, “I hope so, because if I didn’t, I’d be working so hard for nothing.”

While the short-lived Thunder were fighting the championship candidate on the road against the Denver Nuggets, Holmgren stood up to the challenge. The starting big man has gone head-to-head with league MVP Nikola Jokic, and his minutes and production have mirrored that.

Holmgren played with 25 points, 14 rebounds, 5 assists, 4 blocks and 2 steals in the 35-minute match with a shooting percentage of 61 percent; including 0-for-5 shooting from beyond the arc.

The Thunder center posted a plus-nine mark in this contest and led a 14-2 run for the OKC Thunder with the best player in the world on the other end.

The most encouraging long-term ripple effect in this game was Holmgren’s determination and decision-making ability; He was turning the switch by becoming a more aggressive scorer. If the Nuggets got any crease, it would allow him to attack the rim, which would lead to threes and ones and five free throw attempts in total in the first half.

For the Thunder to achieve their major championship goals, Holmgren needs to deliver this level of offensive contention every night, but so far — even going back to the exhibition game — that’s been the case for the seven-footer in game one of season two.

While this was a near-perfect game, can you imagine how the game would have turned out if Holmgren had hit a few of his eight 3-point attempts instead of going 0-for-8? Or get his free throw production back to where it was in the first half of his rookie season?

Of course, this is greed, but it also shows that Holmgren has not yet reached the desired point, even in one of the best games of his career. This should get the NBA’s attention.

Song of the Day: I Want to Start Something by Michael Jackson

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