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Paycom Center will be rocking for the most highly-anticipated NBA Playoffs game since the 2012 season. The Oklahoma City Thunder earn a new chance to clinch a spot in the NBA Finals effective Tuesday. But standing in the way in this Western Conference Finals showdown? The upset-minded Minnesota Timberwolves.
The T-Wolves have recharged their personal batteries. All after knocking off the Golden State Warriors in five games. Minnesota already brings three reasons why an upset of OKC is a possibility.
The top-seeded Thunder, however, present their own reasons for walking in as the favorite. Especially in looking at the rosters top to bottom.
Star power is flooding the floor at both Paycom and the Target Center. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Anthony Edwards are the Most Valuable Player candidates. Chet Holmgren and Rudy Gobert headline the big man challenge. But one man earns the x-factor title ahead of Game 1.
Thunder X-factor: Cason Wallace
Wallace executed the thunderous poster dunk of Nikola Jokic. That moment ignited the crowd, plus OKC bench. And the guard threw down the jam against a 6-foot-11 talent and past league MVP.
The 6-foot-3 Wallace knows how to hit full speed on the fast break. But OKC needs more than his transition game.
Head coach Mark Daigneault likely will throw Wallace onto Edwards. He's called to slow down the explosive and eccentric Edwards. Speaking of defense, Wallace sparked OKC there in Game 7 against the Denver Nuggets.
He poked the ball out 12 times versus Denver to cause turnovers. Wallace brings a football-like ball-hawking presence to the floor. He even surpassed the late great Kobe Bryant in postseason steals by a 21-year-old. One capable of turning takeaways into points. Wallace delivered that takeaway element Sunday to swing the momentum OKC's way.
Cason Wallace adds 1 more element for Thunder
Wallace became lauded for his defense and dunking after Sunday's rout. But he adds one more element — one that's shown improvement.
The 21-year-old increased his shooting percentage from behind the arc. He shot at a dismal 35.6% during the regular season. That's a decline from his 2023-24 production.
But he's now shooting 39% from three-point land during the postseason. Wallace even takes just 2.3 attempts from the arc.
OKC and Daigneault doesn't need to pressure Wallace into leaning on the three-ball. Not with the bevy of shooters already on the floor. But he's a spark plug on the offensive end.
Does Cason Wallace remind Thunder fans of past popular reserve?
Wallace charging up OKC off the bench sounds like a past beloved Thunder star.
But he's not James Harden. “The running beard” started his career as a sharpshooter off the OKC bench. Harden since has blossomed into a perennial NBA All-Star post Oklahoma City.
Wallace is more for defense and attacking the basketball — then pursuing the rim. He represents the depth that Kendrick Perkins jokingly said is “deeper than the Pacific Ocean.”
The second-year guard will pull into his home arena motivated by the added national attention too. Wallace once told Chris Dodson of ClutchPoints that OKC is “demanding respect.” That came during the first round series with Memphis.
Now Wallace and OKC are the favorites to come out of the West. Except Wallace needs to lead the bench depth, and wear down the T-Wolves.
