NBA FINALS: THUNDER VS. PACERS

June 10, 2025

Cason Wallace

Oklahoma City Thunder

Practice Day

Q. What would you say maybe was the biggest takeaway from winning Game 2?

CASON WALLACE: Finishing the game. We started off strong, battled to a lead. We didn't get complacent or stop trying to push the lead.

Q. Two years ago did the Pacers express any interest in you? Did they work you out, have you in prior to the draft?

CASON WALLACE: No, they did not.

Q. Did you ever practice or focus on being able to guard all different positions? You can stop anyone. Is that something you focused on coming into the NBA or just happened?

CASON WALLACE: Definitely wanted to come in and guard the best players in the league. Did I know I'd be guarding bigger players on other teams? Yeah. That's part of basketball, switching. It's just a challenge that I like to take.

Q. Mark says you guys have grown a lot over the course of this postseason. When you look back at the start, going up against the Grizzlies, to where you are now, how much do you feel you've grown as a team?

CASON WALLACE: We've grown a tremendous amount, just being able to start a series and not have it go the way that we want it to and still be able to bounce back, overcome the other challenges that we face along the way. I don't think we would have done that as well as we have.

Q. For such a young group, what is it like going through that mentally and being able to go through something where it's not going your way at the start of the series and bounce back?

CASON WALLACE: Builds our confidence going through it and succeeding. It definitely builds confidence down the road.

Q. Is it your preference to start or really at this point in the season it doesn't really matter?

CASON WALLACE: Doesn't matter. I mean, it's what's best to win the game. Whatever Coach says, that's what I'm going to do.

Q. Do you find it easier if you're starting to get in the rhythm of the game, or is it more of a challenge to come off the bench?

CASON WALLACE: I'm going to be ready whether I'm starting or not. Whenever I'm on the court, it's my job to be ready and play as hard as I can.

Q. You've been one of the best road teams all season long. What goes into making sure you play to your identity regardless of the stage?

CASON WALLACE: Knowing that we're on the road so it's going to be loud for them. Six points going to feel like more than six points. Just knowing the nature of that, being able to stay focused.

Q. What do you feel like you did well defensively in Game 2?

CASON WALLACE: I'd say our coverages were better. We executed our defensive coverages better than we did the first game. We had more intensity throughout the whole 48 minutes than we did the first game.