Cason Wallace Makes NBA Finals Debut as Starter for Thunder, Replacing Hartenstein in Game 1

In a surprising lineup change, Cason Wallace was named a starter for the Oklahoma City Thunder in Game 1 of the NBA Finals on Thursday night, taking the place of Isaiah Hartenstein in the starting five.

Known for his elite defensive skills, the 21-year-old Wallace is expected to play a crucial role in slowing down Tyrese Haliburton, the offensive engine for the Indiana Pacers.

Up until this point, Oklahoma City had maintained the same starting lineup throughout all 16 games of their Western Conference playoff run — featuring Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Lu Dort, Jalen Williams, Chet Holmgren, and Hartenstein.

At 21 years and 7 months, Wallace becomes the youngest player to start in an NBA Finals game since Tyler Herro did so for the Miami Heat in 2020, when he was just under 21 during their Finals matchup against the Los Angeles Lakers in the NBA Bubble.

Wallace started 43 games during the regular season for OKC and had already logged 26 playoff appearances in his first two NBA seasons. However, Game 1 against Indiana marked his first-ever playoff start, a major milestone in his young career.

Coming into the Finals, Wallace had averaged 8.4 points per game in the regular season and 5.4 points per game in the playoffs. His ability to provide defensive intensity and energy off the bench — now elevated to the starting unit — could prove to be a key factor for the Thunder in this championship series.