Cason Wallace is a LOCK for All Defense | OKC Thunder IMPROVING | Ajay Mitchell Legit
Cason Wallace leads the NBA in steals and anchors the league’s most dominant defense. Is the Oklahoma City Thunder guard a lock for All-Defensive honors?
Rylan Styles and Michael Martin break down Wallace’s defensive impact using a confidence meter format, rating key statements about the Thunder’s championship trajectory. The discussion covers Chet Holmgren’s offensive evolution beyond three-point shooting, the LA Clippers’ collapse potentially handing OKC a top-5 draft pick in a loaded class, and Isaiah Hartenstein’s irreplaceable physicality. The hosts debate whether the Thunder will chase a 70-win season or prioritize playoff health, analyze Denver’s status as the only true Western Conference threat, and evaluate AJay Mitchell’s development alongside Jalen Williams. Key topics include vote-splitting among Thunder defenders, Holmgren’s improved mid-range game and cutting frequency, and Houston’s potential leap into contention with the right trade deadline move.
Discover why the Thunder’s defensive dominance and roster construction make them championship favorites, and which competitor poses the biggest threat to their title aspirations.
0:00 Intro
1:20 Fan reactions: Thunder’s win record vs Clippers collapse
3:54 Cason Wallace’s all-defensive team case
8:41 Clippers’ playoff chances and lottery implications
13:19 Chet Holmgren’s offensive evolution and sustainability
18:23 AJay Mitchell’s role with Jalen Williams returning
24:06 Isaiah Hartenstein’s indispensable value to Thunder
27:29 Thunder won’t chase 70-win season
33:43 Denver Nuggets remain Thunder’s only true competitor
38:18 Week ahead preview and predictions
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8 Comments
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Cason is definitely going to be all-Defense. New 'Skinny Lu' has been a failure avoiding injuries & still hasn't played one game of impressive D'.
I also agree about iHart. I'm sure Presti thinks – it would be nice if Hart rips up his final yr & signs a 5 x100 deal. But at worst p/u his extension yr & figure it out later.
Why can't two things be equally true. The thunder can get the record, and when win the ring. They don't necessarily have to go for the record, it can just organically happen. Do y'all remember when they were trying to tank? And yet they just kept winning because the guys were playing hard? So they kept releasing guys and sitting guys, just to try the tank but kept winning. Anyway? The same situation can happen here, where they have a mixture of the bench players and the starters and just still win balancing the rest Factor, with the experience for the bench Factor, but still accomplished to goal. It is thought that we have two top teams on our roster. One that includes the starters, and one that includes a mixture of the starters and reserves.
I disagree, Lou still plays top level defense. It's as offense. That's lacking. Still fights through screens, draws offensive files on the pics, he still gets in the opponent's faces, and still hoses on on the defensive end. He just hasn't been able to hit a shot
Clipper are 4-9 on pace for 26-56 record.
Thunder get the Clippers pick?
Current projection if season ended today: No. 7 overall
Current odds at top-4 pick if season ended today: 31.9 percent
Current odds at No. 1 overall if season ended today: 7.5 percent
After 13 games, Thunder have 9 players in the top 13 for individual defensive rating in the NBA app