Stiles Points: Cason Wallace Continues to Tie OKC Thunder Starters Together

The Oklahoma City Thunder have found its starting five with the second-year guard Cason Wallace tying together to group.

Jan 10, 2025; New York, New York, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder guard Cason Wallace (22) warms up before a game against the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images / Brad Penner-Imagn Images

To start the season, the Oklahoma City Thunder flipped through a rolodex of fifth starters. The Thunder would toss between Aaron Wiggins, Isaiah Joe and Cason Wallace as if it was a starting pitching rotation. Though, Mark Daigneault has found his ace.

Wallace has started eight of his last ten games with one of those spot starts being tossed to Wiggins on his Birthday. In that span, the Thunder are 7-1. With the Kentucky product in the first five this year, Oklahoma City is 23-3.

In the last ten games, Wallace is averaging 8.2 points, 2.9 assists, 2.2 rebounds and 2.2 stocks per game while shooting 46% from the floor, 41% from beyond the arc and 75% at the charity stripe.

His month of January sees Wallace shooting 53% from 3-point land and it has climbed his overall mark to 33% on the year.

The second-year guard is a tone-setting defender that brings energy nightly, offensively he does not need touches or shot attempts to get into a groove. Wallace reads the floor so well off the other starting members to cut and relocate off the ball to open up clean shots in the Thunder's offense.

Against the 76ers, the defensive ace poured in a season high 18 points, hauled in five rebounds and dished out four assists while swiping a steal. The Thunder guard shot a jaw-dropping 70% from the floor and nailed a couple of triples in the Oklahoma City's win.

As a big game looms Thursday, it continues to be clear that Wallace is the best option to flank the four solidified starters.

Stiles Points

• Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 32 points against the 76ers squad in name only.
• Jalen Williams got six first-half free throw attempts in this game, after getting to the stripe eight times against the Washington Wizards on Sunday. Williams is getting downhill more and helping Oklahoma City's offense.
• The OKC Thunder scored 62 points in the paint leading to 55 percent shooting from the floor.
• Up next, the Oklahoma City Thunder play host to the Cleveland Cavaliers.

Song of the Day: Tiger by the Tail by Buck Owens

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