Stephen A. CALLS OUT Chet Holmgren 🗣️ ‘Wemby had a pulse YOU DIDN’T!’ 😬 | First Take

work all these hours we put in.It's for this type of emotions.Like I want that.I want to win so bad.It's like my life depends on it.

Motivated Wenby heading into the finals.A scary thought.Let's go to the loser side of this though, and that would be the Oklahoma City Thunder.No Jalen Williams, no AJ Mitchell felt like they didn't really have a second option behind Shea.Does OKC now deserve a pass because of all the injuries they endured?

Stephen A. Well, I think I think so to some degree.I don't think Chet Holmgren deserves a past.That's a subject that we can broach as the show goes on.But Perk, I truly believe this and this listen, I give San Antonio all the credit in the world.Wimby's the best in the world.and you see the young thoroughbreds that he's got behind them and what have you.

It's impressive and the Spurs are going to win.Maybe not this year.I'm still holding out hope for my next but the Spurs going with some championships in the foreseeable future several for championships because of that cat victim with the Yama, but I couldn't help but look at J. J Dub being out and AJ Mitchell being out and feeling as if they were there.OKC would have won this series.Now, that's not to take away anything from San Antonio because it is what it is. injuries are part of the sport.And obviously the Aaron Fox, you know, they started out.

He didn't play in, you know, early on and stuff like that.You have pickups and what have you doing?Harper got hurt.He wasn't a hundred percent.You can bring and he showed up later on in the series.You can see a lot of things but for the purposes of this game 7 and the way things had gone with Victor, you know, Alex Caruso shoot three of 14 with with Chet Holmgren supposedly the number two option attempting only two shots and not even a field goal attempt for the final three quarters.

You did find yourself looking at Shea as if he was somebody that was standing all alone wondering what would have happened if he had, you know, a couple of his boys with him, meaning J Dub and AJ Mitchell.So I look at OKC being in game seven of a Western Conference finals, not having all their horses in order losing to the San Antonio Spurs.All I'm saying is that Collectively speaking, you don't walk away feeling like, what a damn shame.You blew it.You blew it.You blew it.

As a team, I don't find myself feeling that way about the Oklahoma City Thunder this morning.

You know what?I'm going to give you a nickname this morning.It's either going to be Honey Bun.Twinkie or whatever, any type of cupcake, because you know why?You know why?Because you getting soft on me.

You getting soft on me.

You would know something about cupcakes.You would know something about the damn cupcakes.You know the whole list.

You know the whole list, but go ahead.That's my past life.That's my past life.I've changed my ways.But look, this is what I will tell you.This is what I will tell you.

We're not going to do that, S .A.We're not going to do that, because the one thing that we've done all season long, even last year, is praise OKC for their what?Their depth, right?How deep they are.How many guys they have to come in, and we don't know which way they're going to cut you.

You could go with the Andrew Wiggers.They acquired Jared McCain at the trade deadline, and he was huge for them throughout the course of this postseason run.But when you have home court advantage, and you have a game seven on your home court, It's zero excuses.The Oklahoma City Thunder were not starving.They wasn't hungry enough in my opinion.I believe the San Antonio Spurs had about 8 to 10 offensive rebounds just in the third quarter beating them to the 50 -50 balls.

I didn't see the same hunger there.So we can't sit up here and give them a pass.I understand certain guys, individuals didn't show up.I get that part of it.But last year when OKC made their run to the championship in the semifinals, I recall Aaron Gordon was out.With Denver, he tried to play in the Game 7 with a hurt hamstring.

Tyrese Maxey was out throughout the course of the NBA Finals.He tore his Achilles in Game 7.So we're not going to give OKC a pass.They went to Game 7.It was on their home floor.They were known for their depth, and their depth did not come through.

They just wasn't hungry enough.The San Antonio Spurs wanted it more, and it showed.And that's why they're heading to the NBA Finals.

I completely disagree with that notion that they've wanted it more.I think Oklahoma City wanted it bad.They just didn't have the horses to get it done.You're going up against an elite San Antonio Spurs team.When, when, when Aaron Gordon couldn't go for Denver and Denver lost, we lamented the fact that Aaron Gordon was out and acknowledged that there may have been a difference if Aaron Gordon was in the lineup.When Tyrese Halliburton went down and Indiana ultimately lost game seven in the NBA finals last year without throwing any shade on the Oklahoma City Thunder capturing a championship.

acknowledge that the Indiana Pacers may have been in a better position and it might have been a different outcome had Tyrese Halliburton not went down to things can be true.You can sit up there and give the winner.It's props recognizing that they're unlike any other opponent.You may have gone through at that particular moment in time because they were good enough to advance to that late in the playoffs.But in the same breath acknowledge that show if injuries had it happen, you know, things would things might have been different when we saw Isaiah Thomas go up against a Magic Johnson and a Los Angeles Lakers and this brother dropped 25 and a quarter on a hurt ankle and he was absolutely positively electrifying.We were able to look at the Pistons and say even though they lost

even though the Los Angeles Lakers won and we give them all the props in the world had Isaiah Thomas not been hurt.Guess what would have happened.We might have been looking at the Detroit Pistons capturing their first of three titles instead of waiting until the next year and winning back -to -back titles.You can do throughout history.There have been injuries that have occurred and you still give the team props that one because they were good enough to do it and you had to bring your a game in order to get knock them off and you weren't able to do that because of injuries while in the same breath simultaneously simultaneously recognizing that those injuries incurred do hit play a factor.I'm looking at AJ Mitchell and J Dub.

J Dub missed games and was limited to 10 minutes in game 6 AJ Mitchell missed the last four games.Finals Big Perk came on national television before the series even began both in the middle of the playoffs and you reminded us as good as j -dub is the crap to get the cat that dropped the 40 piece of the finals the cat that him and Evan Mobley were not all only or only all NBA, but was it they were all NBA defensive team a couple of years back that same j -dub We talked about it and we said, yo man, AJ Mitchell might be even better.You understand what I'm saying?They got some decisions to make come offseason time because of how good that brother was.Knowing how good they both were.They both are for both of them to be out and for the for Shea Gilchrist Alexander to have to rely on Lou Dort who can hit you for every one three.

He shot.He missed 10 and for a Chet Holmgren who wouldn't even attempt a shot in the last three quarters.You talk about I mean, you might as well call Victor Wiminyama, Freddie Cougar, Freddie Cougar.I mean, Friday the third, you know, for all of them damn movies.Or Jason, from Friday the 13th.That's who the hell he was to Chet Holmgren for crying out loud, not attempting a shot in the last three quarters.

You look at something like that.

Yo, you could say injuries play the role and that's what I'm saying Well, no, but what I'm saying is say you're talking about one side of the basketball, which is offense, right?I'm looking at the game and I'm saying when have we ever seen?OKC when the, the, the, the battle, uh, lose the battle of 50, 50 balls, things that doesn't show up in the stat sheet.You always allude to and talk about the activities, the deflections, the, the, the, the, the, the steals, the forcing turnovers.All I'm saying is when it comes to winning that battle, San Antonio won that from a physicality standpoint and a mentality standpoint, when it came down to doing the little things that didn't show up in the stat That's what I'm saying, and when you're on your home floor, I expected more.I expected more toughness.

I expected a sense of urgency.And last but not least, what did we see, S .A.?We saw the biggest moment of that game was made by Luke Carnett.That's what I'm talking about when you talk about winning plays, not giving up on it.

Yeah, like going chase down and getting that block was huge and the momentum changed because Isaiah Hortenstein, if he ducks that, now all of a sudden you get the crowd involved and I believe now it's probably a five -point game or something like that.So, I'm just saying.

Well, last time I checked J. Will, J. Will, Jalen Williams, was an elite defender.So guess what?You would have had his defense.He is number one.Number two.Number two.

He's a big -time shot maker, whether it's from the perimeter, whether it's finishing at the basket, whether it's in the open court.He's that dude.So if his presence was there out there, right?Guess what would have happened?Number one.He would have took some of the pressure off of Shea.

Shea butter to score number two, Lou, you know, Lou Dort wouldn't have been shooting as much as he shot.Number three, you wouldn't have had Alex Caruso three and shoot three for 14 because he wouldn't have got 14 shots to take because some of those shots would have went to JW as well or AJ Mitchell.So I'm saying when you take those things into consideration, it's collateral damage.You could talk about I'm talking about just one side of the ball, but I'm talking about the level of effectiveness that they left that they lacked because you didn't have that cat there who also is an elite defender.You cannot escape that reality.All the props in the world to San Antonio.

They're worthy, worthy Western Conference champions.Wimby is the best player in the world.Dylan Harper, De 'Aaron Fox, Castle, all of these brothers.They are special.Major, major props to them.This is their era and let's Jalen Brunson and the crew do something about it.

Make no mistake.But I still find myself looking at OKC and I got to acknowledge, yo, they were a bit handicapped.I just got to say that.We got to acknowledge that.That's fair.

In Game 7, SGA at 35 points.The rest of the Thunder starting lineup combined for 31 points.

At the end of the day, it's always about us trying to win the basketball game.You know, us as a collective, the Thunder team trying to win the basketball game.You know, and that's what it's always going to be.

All right, no one, not even SGA at answers for Chet.I mean, he looks absolutely defeated in the zone there in that interview.Your reaction to everything that's gone down in this series, Game 7, and what you just heard from Chet.

Stephen A. In a perfect world, this would have been the last game Chet Holmgren played in Oklahoma City Thunder uniform.He should be traded.The second you have an opportunity to get a guy like Giannis Antetokounmpo, you need an offensive, you need a productive offensive player.on your front line who you can rely upon.It was supposed to be the seven foot one Chet Holgren and keep in mind I'm saying seven foot one because I want to remind everybody this is not some six foot3 guard or anything like that.

I understand.When be 7 -5.Chet Holmgren is 7 feet 1.You talk about needing defense and rebounding and somebody to defend against Wimby Isaiah.Harden Stein came in there and did what he was supposed to do for the most part.I know when the average 28 and 13, I get that part, but there were a couple of games where we were questioning the fatigue of women.

Yama and what have you.Why?Because Harden Stein was all over him body and him up, getting physical with them, making things a bit more arduous than any other player had been able to do against Wimby, to be quite honest with you.And if Chet Holgen had given him a speck of help, a speck of help in this series, guess what?Oklahoma City Thunder, despite the two dad to two cats being gone, might have been advancing.Chet Holgen was a no -show, but you know what?

If you are no -show because you shoot one for 15, two for 20 or something like that.Okay, you were aggressive, but it wasn't your night.It wasn't your evening.to attempt two shots in an entire game, which you played over 30 minutes to go three quarters in a game seven of a conference final when you're supposed to be the secondary option and you do nothing not even attempt a damn shot.I'm sorry.That's getting pumped.

That's it's just that simple.You don't have a heart.to be in that position.Wimby is when he was needed.You going up against Indiana, yours and Miles Turner and cats like that, even though he's a good player.It's a little bit different going up against Wimby considering their history, the historical context that was brought to this series.

The fact that you had gone against one another in the past that you got cats like Big Perk on national television, looking into cameras of an international audience telling them, yo, Wimby don't like you.He don't like you.He wants to kick your ass.He doesn't like you at all.He gets joy out of it and the know that this man is coming for what you have.You're the reigning defending champion.

You're the guy that won the championship.You're the guy thatsupposed to be the biggest assist to us to going up against Wimby and you put forth that kind of no -show.I want to remind everybody the Oklahoma City Thunder is the one team in the entire NBA.that can get it done.When you're talking about Giannis, they got players to give you got I can give you seven perimeter players.

Not that you're going to give up Shea butter, but Shea butter with J Dub with Mitchell with Dort with Caruso with Wallace with McCain, all of these cats and what they bring to the table.You could package a couple of those dudes along with Chad Hogan.And not only that, You've got 16 first -round picks between now and 2022.I'm sorry, 13 first -round picks and 16 second -round picks.At least, you got a boatload of assets.Sam Preston, the best in the business.

The man, I can't say anything about him.He's the best in the business, but I can ask a question.What are you going to do?Take the picks to the grave with you?but you see you storing them in a freezer for another life.I mean, what are you doing with those pics?

You got to use them.You understand?You might as well use up.You use it.You use it to go get a cat.That's going to give you 30 and 12.

That's as aggressive as hell who by the way, defense and block shots and Giannis at the Tecumseh backs down to no one.One of the great great games.We have seen when be played.in his young career is with him and Giannis when it gets each other last year.If I remember correctly, that was something epic to watch because Giannis came right at him and Wimby would it back up?That's what you need in Oklahoma City shade, but I don't want to say it.

Nobody else wants to say it, you know, in terms of Oklahoma City.I'll say it for them.Chet Holmgren.You can't have that.He is you need to move on from that.You need to get Giannis.

I'm not saying get rid of him.I'm saying to get Giannis.

Look, Steven, I agree with you 1 ,000%.I would trade him before the draft.And again, it's not what he did.It's how he did it.right again not being aggressive in the game seven on your home floor is one thing not trying to attack the basket and not trying to shoot the rock is another but the way that you got punk The way that they snatch your soul, and this wasn't just a Wimby thing, because I was begging for Chet to take some type of ownership and try to guard Wimby at the start of the series.Okay, I came to the conclusion that that wasn't gonna happen.

So what San Antonio did all series long was majority of the time, Chet was guarded by a smaller guy.We got a clip that showed, a video that showed, I believe it was Vassell blocking this shot in game six and talking a whole lot of noise to him.This is a guy that is smaller to you.countless videos and show the times that Chet Holmgren was getting bodied and put in the basket by smaller guys.It's one thing not to show up and say, you know what, at least he went down swinging, but he didn't swing a punch.That showed no heart whatsoever.

And the one thing that Oklahoma city is not, one word we could never put on them is soft.But what Chet Holmgren showed is that, Hey man, I'm soft and I'm scared.He was scared throughout the entire series.By the way this guy is getting paid over 200 plus million dollars.He was the first time all star this year, third time all NBA.I mean damn bro, Shay looked defeated.

And he didn't want to throw his guy under the bus, but you could tell when he got asked about it.throughout the course of the Western conference, they asked him about it.And he was left speechless.If I'm Sam Preston and me knowing Sam Preston, because see a lot of people think that, Oh, When you draft a player or you acquire a player, assign a player that, oh, you just worry about what they do between the lines.No, that's part of it.These GEMs, like Sam Presti, they do their background check, meaning they go and they see and they have these interviews and they want to know the one thing, do you have heart?

We looked down Oklahoma City roster, they have a bunch of dogs.Chet Holmgren showed me something different.And the reason that I'm saying that they need to trade him before the draft is because because Wimpy is not going nowhere.He's going to be around for at least the next 10 years in the Western Conference and you got to bring somebody in right now that's going to maximize SGA Prime in his greatness and get them back to where they're trying to go and that's to win another NBA championship.Basketball does something for you.

This is what we love about the NBA.Basketball at some point provides moments within a game that says It's me and you now.Chet Holmgren tried to equal with him.Chet Holmgren tried to make it about everybody else around him and himself.No, bro.It was about you.

It was a heart check.Wimby showed up and showed his was palpitating.He had a pulse.You didn't.And when you look at Go OKC and you look at the talent that they have, along with the assets, draft, capital and talent, You can't concede the future to Victor when Biyama, they're the one team.If the Knicks don't take them out, Oklahoma City is the one team based on what I said about J Dub and AJ Mitchell being out.

They're the one team that could say now we can'tthis.We don't have to concede anything to San Antonio.We coming back for them.They can do that, but not with Chet Holmgren.You have to get somebody else.

And that somebody else is Giannis Antetokounmpo, the Greek freak.He is the answer to their prayers.