The Thunder have a 2-0 series lead, but Jalen Williams suffered a Grade 1 hamstring strain in Game 2 and “will be re-evaluated on a weekly basis” per ESPN’s Shams Charania. The former All-Star is out for this contest and may miss the entire series. Isaiah Joe is also doubtful for Game 3 due to personal reasons. 

Can Oklahoma City go on the road and effectively slam the door shut? Or will Phoenix pull off the upset and make it a series? Check out key matchups for Game 3 below. 

The Thunder acquired Jared McCain at the trade deadline, and he proceeded to average 21 points per 75 possessions on 39.1% shooting from beyond the arc. McCain is a three-point sniper who can also put the ball on the floor and knock down pull-up midrange jumpers. 

He has only played one minute so far this series excluding garbage time because Mark Daigneault tightened the rotation and prioritized defense. However, the minutes when Shai Gilgeous-Alexander rests are suddenly vulnerable to extended offensive droughts without Jalen Williams’ scoring and Isaiah Joe’s shooting. It’s McCain’s time to shine. If the sophomore can help keep the bench offense afloat by sinking jumpers and occasionally creating his own shot, then he may worm his way into the rotation for the rest of the series and perhaps beyond. 

Daigneault tethering Isaiah Hartenstein to McCain’s minutes in Game 3 is a logical decision because Hartenstein’s screening and passing out of dribble handoffs create easy looks for McCain’s motion shooting. Ajay Mitchell would also need to be on the court to give the offense a primary ball handler, while one of Alex Caruso or Luguentz Dort is a necessity for defense. 

Phoenix clearly prioritized ball handling and spacing in Game 2 by placing Collin Gillespie into the starting lineup and increasing Royce O’Neale’s minutes. It worked, as the Suns jumped from 84 points to 107 points. 

Cason Wallace likely sees a bump in playing time due to injuries, but he should anyway because Phoenix’s lineup changes have created more threats and more ground to cover defensively. Wallace’s speed and ability to shut down anyone he guards are crucial to limiting the Suns’ offense. 

He’s averaging 4.5 steals per 75 possessions through two games, so generating more turnovers is another advantage from raising Wallace’s minutes. 

The champs scored 119 and 120 points in the first two contests despite shooting 32.6% from beyond the arc. However, their margin for error is thinner sans Williams and Joe, so making three-point jumpers is more important than usual. McCain, Dort and Chet Holmgren are names to monitor in this department for Game 3.