For the first time – exactly a month – since he fractured his pelvis after a bad fall during a game against the Golden State Warriors, Chet Holmgren attended an Oklahoma City Thunder game on Tuesday night and sat on the team’s bench . .

While Holmgren was unable to take the floor and impact the game with his two-way presence, Thunder star guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander still credited the big man with the decisive win in the NBA Cup quarterfinals told reporters after the 118-104 win that Holmgren was simply a presence-on-effect player on the team.

“Yeah, it’s great to have Chet’s spirit with you,” Gilgeous-Alexander said. “Such a funny guy. So positive. He gives the pre-game speeches before we all give up, and he did it tonight. That’s probably why we won. But yeah, it’s always good to have him around.”

“Of course the circumstances are not perfect, but whenever we are blessed with his presence, it is a blessing.”

Gilgeous-Alexander was then asked what Holmgren told the team in his speech.

“Win the game,” Gilgeous-Alexander said. “Get some more money.” Protect home court. Now he said it differently. A little more explicit. But that was his message.

Holmgren, who was featured on the Jumbotron at Paycom Center and received a standing ovation from the crowd of 17,724 fans, is expected to return this season, with the Thunder announcing shortly after the injury that an eight-minute return schedule would be set -10 weeks.

While Holmgren’s presence may have given the Thunder a boost on Tuesday night, some credit goes to players like Gilgeous-Alexander, who continued his early career as NBA MVP with a game-high 39 points against Dallas.

Oklahoma City, which is 11-3 since losing Holmgren, has also received key contributions from forward Jalen Williams and center Isaiah Hartenstein, each of whom has picked up the slack up front in Holmgren’s absence.

The Thunder will wait for the winner of Wednesday’s game between the Golden State Warriors and Houston Rockets.