Chet Holmgren, Cason Wallace Slated for Impactful Opportunities in Next Series

The Thunder rookie tandem saw their first playoff series very successful, and the duo's opportunities will heighten into the second round.

Feb 29, 2024; San Antonio, Texas, USA; San Antonio Spurs center Victor Wembanyama (1) drives in / Daniel Dunn-USA TODAY Sports

Against the New Orleans Pelicans, it was the Thunder rookies who were among the most productive and impactful defenders which didn't let the Pelicans see more than 92 points in any game across the four-game series.

The team went 4-0 which was a flawless way to begin the first playoff series of both Chet Holmgren's and Cason Wallace's young careers, as their defensive prowess on all levels in year one has been praised all season long. Now, they're keeping that same quality of play into the postseason, and have a formidable opponent awaiting for them on Tuesday.

With the Mavericks advancing to the second round on Friday night, they're pinned against a budding rival in the Thunder, and Holmgren and Wallace's opportunities to shine defensively will be presented yet again.

For Wallace, it'll be helping strategize toward minimizing the one-two punch in Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving, providing cushion along the perimeter and limiting the amount of open looks from distance.

But with Maxi Kleber out indefinitely due to an AC joint dislocation, that effort to limit those outside looks will be much less without his presence as a 55.6% 3-point shooter so far this postseason.

This will also be a more personal series for Wallace as a Dallas native, but his focus and resolve as a rookie has never needed a call for questioning.

Without having to extend to the perimeter to cover Kleber's long-range shooting, Holmgren's battle down low with Daniel Gafford and Dereck Lively II off the bench will be one to pinpoint as well.

A stronger, physical opponent in Gafford and a fellow 7-foot rookie in Lively II won't be the same as his bout with Jonas Valanciunas in the opening series, but it should have served as a decent primer for the matchup in Gafford and Lively II.

Both Holmgren and Wallace will be exposed to bigger tests versus Dallas, but they realize the progression of talent is all uphill to reach the conference finals and beyond.

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