Cason Wallace starts Game 1 for Thunder, taking Isaiah Hartenstein's spot
Oklahoma City Thunder guard Cason Wallace (22) drives to the basket against Minnesota Timberwolves center Naz Reid during the second half of Game 4 of the Western Conference finals of the NBA basketball playoffs Monday, May 26, 2025, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Matt Krohn)
OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — Cason Wallace got the call to start Game 1 of the NBA Finals for the Oklahoma City Thunder on Thursday night, taking the place of Isaiah Hartenstein.
The Thunder had used the same starting five — Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Lu Dort, Jalen Williams, Chet Holmgren and Hartenstein — for each of the 16 games needed to get through the Western Conference playoffs.
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At 21 years and seven months, Wallace is the youngest player to start an NBA Finals game since Miami's Tyler Herro — then about 20 years and 9 months — started for the Heat in their series inside the bubble against the Los Angeles Lakers in 2020.
Wallace started 43 games in the regular season for the Thunder. He had appeared in 26 playoff games over his first two NBA seasons with Oklahoma City, but Thursday's series opener against the Indiana Pacers was his first playoff start.
Wallace averaged 8.4 points in the regular season and has averaged 5.4 in the playoffs coming into the finals.
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