The Oklahoma City Thunder made their presence felt on the big stage, striking hard into Phoenix and claiming a huge Game 1 victory. Their defense was on full display, and they surely made it look easy for most of the game, even with an underperforming bench. After a dominant Game 1, OKC reserves must step up in Game 2 of Thunder vs Suns if they want to keep the winning pace going in the series.
For most of the season, we’ve seen a lot of critics praising Oklahoma City’s depth. Their ability to rely on their second unit without much hassle has been a blessing in so many games. But so far, they’ve been as quiet as a rock despite combining for 40 points in the win.
OKC Reserves Must Respond In Game 2 Vs Suns
You see, there’s a bigger standard applied when talking about Oklahoma City’s backup players. There’s the fact that they have elite, two-way defensive guys like Alex Caruso and Cason Wallace. Then there are some sharpshooting players in Isaiah Joe and Jared McCain. Of course, Ajay Mitchell also adds to that support as the main sixth man of the squad.
But it is Joe, Mitchell, and Wallace who got the big nod to go beyond 20 minutes of action in the win. But have they made satisfactory leaps?
Mitchell Somehow Downplayed His Game
Mitchell was inserted multiple times in the game as a backup playmaker for Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. It’s either him running the show when the reigning MVP rests on the bench or when the Thunder need Shai to play off the ball. Part of his job is to draw attention away from their star guard. But with Mitchell shooting just 3-of-7 from the field, most defenders don’t see him as a threat. As a result, SGA was hounded for most of the night and shot 5-of-18 from the field.
For context, the Santa Barbara product is OKC’s third leading scorer this season. If anything, fans are expecting him to drop a playoff banger that would stun the Suns. Instead, he had a pedestrian performance of nine points, five rebounds, two assists, and two steals. However, for a win this big, of course, this would get overlooked, even for one of the OKC reserves.
But on the bright side, Mitchell still finished with +22 on the plus-minus side. He’s one of five players to do so. The others? SGA, Jalen Williams, Jaylin Williams, and Wallace.
Joe’s Shooting Needs To Stay Consistent
By now, you should be aware that Joe’s main task among the OKC reserves is to drill the threes. No more, no less. Of course, he needs to defend when possible or make plays for himself. But other than that, it’s all about making the big shots for Joe. In the Game 1 win, however, he finished 3-0f-8 from three.
Esse tipo de defesa não ironicamente pode mudar de rumo a carreira do Isaiah Joe. https://t.co/qBaMYhmyX4
— THUNDER MANIA 🏆 (@ThunderManiaBR) April 20, 2026
This Thunder vs Suns series features a guard-heavy rotation for both sides. This means that Joe has to step up well and make the most of his minutes. In the win, Joe ended up with nine points, and while this has been his career year so far, it cannot be denied that OKC needs more from him. He’s the spot-up shooter who has shoned in the most games when the Thunder starters were out with injuries.
But considering how his playoff inconsistency may prove to be an issue, Joe has Game 2 as his second chance to show his worth. After all, there are still plenty of pieces among the OKC reserves to be played. That means Mark Daigneault is actively considering changing his lineup from time to time. If Joe fails to impress, then he may lose minutes faster than expected.
The Wall Of Wallace Has Been Mediocre
There’s no denying that Wallace was one of the most expected players to make a rise from the OKC reserves. He finished the season as the league leader in steals, and he did not fail to make his presence felt. He owned two of the Thunder’s 13 steals, but it’s still a shock that J-Will had two more than him. Considering that Wallace played more minutes, there has to be bigger production on that end.
So far, Wallace has been held to just six points on 3-of-5 shooting. It’s not bad for a performance off the bench, but there’s more to improve on his part. Shot selection is a priority, as he took two threes that were clearly not the quality shots the Thunder would want him taking.
Former Kentucky Wildcat, Cason Wallace in the Oklahoma City Thunders first round win vs The Phoenix Suns in the #NBAPlayoffs
🔹 6 points
🔹 4 rebounds
🔹 2 assists
🔹 2 steals#BBN pic.twitter.com/Twf1thYqJb— Kentucky K Club (@kentuckykclub) April 20, 2026
As a ball handler, he’s also got to step up on the playmaking side, much like Mitchell. It’s J-Dub and SGA who led the way with assists. Sure, the team ended up with a total of 28 dimes. But let’s be honest, this could have been more if the Thunder bench had been more productive.
Will OKC Reserves Shine In Game 2?
There’s still plenty of basketball left in this Thunder vs Suns series. The win in Game 1 is superb, yes. However, Oklahoma City has to be held to a high standard considering they are the best team in the league. It’s that high standard that is keeping them competitive. It allows them to stay on par against the rest of the NBA, and this just means that a good game may not be up to the Thunder’s standards all the time.
Expectations play a huge role in a team’s success. So if the OKC reserves are going to meet the standard, they’ve got to do more than just a pinch of performance. They have to show off and also help carry the load with even more impressive performances.
Featured Image: Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images
