The Thunder star center logged just 22 minutes in his initial return, which came on the first leg of a back-to-back. Coming off an injury that sidelined him for months, it made sense for Oklahoma City to rest him in the second game in as many nights.

Chet Holmgren's return from injury makes the NBA-best Thunder even better. Last season's runner-up for rookie of the year was back in Oklahoma City's starting lineup on Friday night after missing nearly three months with a pelvic fracture.

Even though Chet Holmgren has cleared the first hurdle of his three-month absence from a hip fracture, he still has several more to jump before he returns to his early-season dominance. The next 32 games are a runway for the seven-footer to head into the playoffs with momentum.