Cason Wallace Emerging As a Key Player For Oklahoma City

The Thunder continues to defy expectations and seems to reset its ceiling with each passing week. Winners of five straight, Oklahoma City knocked off the Pelicans on the road in dominating fashion on Friday night 107-83.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Chet Holmgren both continued their strong play, leading the Thunder from start to finish. It was a strong team effort all around, and the defensive intensity is what led the team to victory. 

Once again, though, the Thunder received a huge lift off the bench from rookie guard Cason Wallace. Wallace has been a key catalyst to the second unit all season long, and his role continues to increase. Over the last five games, he has recorded double-digit points three times and has taken seven shots or more in all three of those contests.

Friday, he was terrific again. In 21 minutes, Wallace totaled 12 points, two rebounds, and added four steals on the defensive end. He was a plus-18 for the Thunder and provided a massive spark for the team.

After the win, Mark Daigneault talked about his increased aggression on the offensive end, and how he seems to get more and more comfortable each game. The coaching staff seems to be encouraging him to try more things and be more assertive on that side of the floor. Wallace attributed it to his teammates, too.

"Just knowing all the work that I've put in and my teammates trusting in me," Wallace said about his growing confidence. "Telling me to keep shooting the ball and keep making plays. They're encouraging me to do more as well."

Wallace is playing 21 minutes a night on the No. 1 team in the Western Conference as a rookie. He's averaging 6.9 points, 2.3 rebounds, 1.4 assists and 0.7 steals. He's shooting 51.3% from the floor and 42.1% from the 3-point line.

It's hard to imagine a rookie guard making such a big impact on one of the NBA's best teams. But Wallace is doing just that, and the Thunder continue to let him soar.

"He's really anticipatory," Daigneault said after the game. "He smells the play before it happens. He's really learning the pictures. He's good on ball, he's good off ball and offensively he's finding a good balance. 

"He's always shot the open ones. He did that from the beginning and shot them well, but he's starting to make more plays on the catch. He's starting to hit the gas a little bit more, finish a little bit more - sneakily becoming more dynamic offensively and growing there."

The confidence the team has instilled in Wallace is starting to shine through on the court. The early results are promising. He's turning into an elite connector on the floor, and his defense hasn't fallen off one bit. It feels like a lottery pick win for Sam Presti, a year after hitting on Jalen Williams near the same spot.

"We really like him and how functional and easily playable he is," Daigneault said. "But we also understand that there's a lot more in there and we want to continue to cultivate that."

Wallace's game will continue to expand as he grows. Like his head coach said, there's a lot more in there. But for now, he's helping the Thunder win, and just like his team, he's exceeding all expectations.