The Oklahoma City Thunder, with a 3-0 series lead over the Los Angeles Lakers, are now poised to advance to the Western Conference Finals for the third time is as many seasons.
It's hard to say this wasn't the expected result for the Thunder this postseason, but how they've gotten to this point has certainly held some surprises. Jalen Williams has played just two games during this run after suffering a hamstring strain against the Phoenix Suns. In response, Oklahoma City has had to pull contributions from pieces of their roster they may not have otherwise needed to.
The Lakers' obsessive defensive focus on Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has further opened this door, and players like Ajay Mitchell and Cason Wallace have taken full advantage. Mitchell, who stepped into the starting five in Williams' absence, has been excellent, averaging 19.8 points on 44.4% shooting from the field over his last five games.
But it's the offensive emergence of Wallace, who posted 16 points in Game 3, that should have the NBA utterly terrified. If Wallace is able to summon some of what we saw offensively this season when both Williams and Gilgeous-Alexander were out, his contributions (on top of Mitchell's and Gilgeous-Alexander's) could be too much for their opponents to reckon with.
Cason Wallace is the cherry on top of a ridiculously deep Thunder offensive attack
Wallace, through his three seasons in the NBA, has primarily been a defensive specialist for the Thunder. He'll likely make an All-Defensive Team this season, and the honor will be completely deserved.
But there are layers to his offensive game that have yet to be fully revealed. Wallace spent large portions of this season in the starting five, but he truly got his opportunity to shine when the team dealt with a number of injuries around the All-Star Break. Between Feb. 1 and March 3, Wallace had five performances that cracked the 20-point threshold. He averaged 14.3 points, 3.8 rebounds, and five assists during that span.
He's moved back to a bench role for the Thunder during this playoff run, but the scoring potential is still there. He's shown a consistent ability to get past his man and drive aggressively to the rim while also lingering off-ball and taking advantage of his opportunities at the perimeter. When the scoring opportunities are there for him, he's more than capable of capitalizing.
With the way that Gilgeous-Alexander, Mitchell, and even Chet Holmgren have been playing, Oklahoma City won't need to look toward Wallace as a primary offensive threat. But he represents just another piece that can burn an opponent on any given night.
Now that he's found his offensive stride during this playoff run, that should be a scary thought for any team remaining in the playoffs.
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