Chet Holmgren reveals how OKC flipped the switch in the win against the 76ers

OKLAHOMA CITY — For the first time in three tries, Chet Holmgren and the Oklahoma City Thunder returned to the win column against the Philadelphia 76ers after down two games to the San Antonio Spurs. Clinging to a two-point halftime lead (64-62), Holmgren and the Thunder stepped up their defense in the second half. Oklahoma City held the 76ers to 24 and 18-point quarters while outscoring their opponent 65-42 in a 129-104 victory.

After the game, Holmgren, who led the Thunder with 29 points on 12-of-17 shooting, including 2-for-4 from deep, nine rebounds and four blocks, spoke what helped the defending champions they regroup their focus in the second half.

“I think we were able to get our stuff into the game — they played with a lot of tempo in the first half — we weren’t able to contain it very well, and we did a better job of that in the second half,” Holmgren said. “That allowed us to play our half-court defense, which no matter what team you are, is going to be better than your transition defense. So we just had to pick that up, and then it followed.”

Chet Holmgren explains the difference between the Thunder’s defensive approach in the first half versus the second pic.twitter.com/IOtCIpRNar

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Chet Holmgren’s 29 points led five Thunder players in double figures, including Shai Gilgeous-Alexander with 27 points on 10-of-13 shooting and Aaron Wiggins (15 points), who led the bench in production against the 76ers.

Marc Daigneault acknowledges the best Spurs defense the Thunder have faced

After he and his team found themselves on the wrong end twice in two days, head coach Mark Daigno and the Thunder responded with a 25-point rout in Sunday’s win against the 76ers. All-Star guard Tyrese Maxey scored 23 of his 28 points in the first half to keep the game going before letting up on defense, the kind of response Daigneault has to appreciate after facing the toughest defense Thunder has seen this season.

Daigneault praised the Spurs’ defensive approach after losing to the same team three times in a 12-day span.

“I’m very careful after the game not to discredit the opponent, because any win is a deserved win, and they deserved to win,” Daigneault said. “To simplify it to mistakes and lapses would be to oversimplify and take away the credit for the fact that they came here and won that game with incredible collective will, and aggression the way they did. So, it’s their cup of tea.”

The Thunder improved to 27-5.