Is Chet Holmgren playing tonight against the Minnesota Timberwolves in Western Conference Finals Game 5? Latest update on the OKC Thunder star's injury report (May 28, 2025)

Chet Holmgren will take the court without restrictions as the Oklahoma City Thunder face the Minnesota Timberwolves in Game 5 of the Western Conference Finals. The rookie center's clean bill of health comes as a relief for Thunder fans after his mid-season injury scare.

Chet Holmgren's current injury status for Western Conference Finals Game 5 (May 28, 2025)

The OKC Thunder's injury report shows Chet Holmgren fully available for tonight's matchup, with no minutes limitation. The only absentee remains rookie guard Nikola Topic, still recovering from knee surgery. This marks a stark turnaround from December when Holmgren suffered a right iliac wing fracture that sidelined him for 50 games. Since returning in February, the 7'1" big man has: - Played every playoff contest - Logged 34+ minutes in 8 of 12 postseason games - Maintained durability despite physical playoff basketball Medical staff confirm the pelvic injury shows no lingering effects, with Holmgren passing all conditioning benchmarks before the conference finals.

Playoff impact by the numbers

Chet Holmgren's two-way contributions have propelled the Thunder to a 3-1 series lead. His postseason stat line reveals why Minnesota struggles to counter his skill set:

The Timberwolves have yet to solve Holmgren's unique blend of floor-spacing and rim protection. In the clutch Game 4 victory, his late-game sequences included: 1. A transition three-pointer to tie the game late 2. Two critical defensive stops against Karl-Anthony Towns 3. The game-sealing rebound with 8 seconds remaining

OKC Thunder's strategic advantage against the Minnesota Timberwolves

Coach Mark Daigneault has leveraged Holmgren's versatility to create matchup problems throughout the series.

The rookie's ability to both protect the paint and draw Rudy Gobert away from the basket has been instrumental in OKC's offensive flow. Teammate Shai Gilgeous-Alexander noted: "He changes possessions without touching the ball. Defenders have to account for him at all times, which opens driving lanes for everyone else." With Chet Holmgren anchoring the defense, the Thunder have held Minnesota to: - 44.7% shooting in the paint (down from 51.2% regular season) - 32.1% on corner threes (down from 38.6%) - 18.2 second-chance points per game (down from 22.4)

Series outlook with healthy Holmgren

As Oklahoma City looks to close out the series tonight, Holmgren's availability gives them three clear advantages: 1. Defensive versatility to switch onto perimeter players 2. Floor spacing that compromises Minnesota's drop coverage 3. Late-game execution as evidenced by his +12.3 net rating in clutch minutesAlso read: Will Shai Gilgeous-Alexander play tonight against the Minnesota Timberwolves in Western Conference Finals Game 5? Latest update on the OKC Thunder star’s injury report (May 28, 2025)The Timberwolves must find answers for Holmgren's two-way impact to force a Game 6. For now, the fully healthy rookie remains the x-factor in Oklahoma City's championship pursuit.