Cason Wallace Makes Strong All-Defensive Claim vs. Knicks

The Oklahoma City Thunder are having a great post-All-Star break stretch that has only seen the Bricktown Ballers beat once. The Thunder have been led by an impressive stretch from Cason Wallace, who is staking his claim to a first-team All-Defensive selection, headlined by his showing against Knicks star Jalen Brunson.

Jan 10, 2025; New York, New York, USA; New York Knicks guard Jalen Brunson (11) controls the ball against Oklahoma City Thunder guard Cason Wallace (22) during the first quarter at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images | Brad Penner-Imagn Images

Wednesday night felt like an NBA Finals contest. The New York Knicks and Oklahoma City Thunder brought the defense, physicality, and unmatched effort despite both sides being on the second leg of a back-to-back set. Despite this just being a March regular-season game, each side did its best to limit the other's offensive engine and star.

It was a low-scoring contest with the OKC Thunder grinding out a 103-100 victory in the always electric Madison Square Garden, where the cream rises to the top. Perhaps lost in All-Star big man Chet Holmgren's six triple first half en route to 28 points was the defensive display from third-year guard Cason Wallace.

The 22-year-old stepped into the NBA as an elite defender and somehow has gotten even better in his age 22 season.

Wallace leads the NBA in steals per game (2.1) thanks to his career-high 226 on the year in a team-high 61 games played.

This season, the Kentucky product is shutting down pick-and-roll ball handlers to the tune of allowing just 0.787 points per possession and limiting spot-up shooters to 38% from the floor. When matchups attempt to pull an off-the-dribble jumper, they only convert at a lowly 35% clip against Wallace, who also ranks in the 60th percentile as a rim protector in a pinch for OKC, only letting up a 54% field goal percentage at the cup when taken to the rim.

Matchups only get a high-quality shot 14% of the time against Wallace, according to Synergy. He lives in opponents' jerseys, making top scorers around the league work for everything. His latest victim was Knicks star Jalen Brunson.

Wallace was on the dark horse NBA MVP candidate the entire night, by halftime Brunson could only muster 1-for-8 shooting and was used as a pure facilitator, unable to shake the Thunder pest.

Those marks never got better for the Knicks guard, who finished Wednesday's loss 5-for-18 from the floor, 2-for-5 from beyond the arc and 4-for-6 from the free throw line.

Of those five makes, one was over Alex Caruso, one over a slipping Wallace, a triple over the outstretched arm of Aaron Wiggins on the switch that the Knicks drew up in the backcourt to finally give Brunson breathing room from Wallace and another against Superstar Shai Gilgeous-Alexander in isolation in the mid-range for a difficult bucket for the Knicks star.

Wallace was scored on twice, the aforementioned slip in the lane, and a late shot clock triple by Brunson where everyone watching could not help but praise as the top notch scorer received a screen to start the sideline out of bounds play, caught the pass running toward the boundary, turned and fired up a shot over a tight contest from Wallace that left Brunson spilling into the front row and the ball through the net. There isn't much anyone could do to deter that look. Though it is an example of how hard the Thunder's defensive ace made life for Brunson.

The Oklahoma City Thunder own the league's best record and best defense yet again, in large part due to the 22-year-old who continues to show he is not just worthy of his first All-Defense selection but should be honored with a first-team designation.