The Spurs and Thunder role players who could swing Game 7, ranked

The Oklahoma City Thunder and San Antonio Spurs star players have delivered. Game 7 may rest on what role players give their team an extra jolt.

Role players who step up in a Game 7 become immortal. Grant Williams can bounce around the league and be a key part of the NBPA for the rest of time, but no NBA fan will forget his seven 3s vs the Bucks in 2022. The Thunder and Spurs are hoping to get that type of eruption from their supporting cast.

Keldon Johnson won the ultimate others award as he took home 6MOY this season. He could be a pace-changer in Game 7 with his relentless energy. Lu Dort's rainbow 3 may finally decide to fall in Game 7. He is only shooting 18 percent from deep this series, but role players play better at home.

Some of the deeper Thunder bench players, like Isaiah Joe or Aaron Wiggins, could find some rhythm and send San Antonio packing. The potential Jaylin Williams snipe fest is there. Does Carter Bryant channel his energy a play the perimeter defense of his life? There are many options on both teams. These role players mentioned above did not quite crack the top seven role players who could shift Game 7, but they deserve a shout.

7. Isaiah Hartenstein

We have never seen a big use the floater like Isaiah Hartenstein. The arc he puts on the shot to get it over Victor Wembanyama's elastic arms takes serious precision. He forces Wemby to leave the paint when that shot is falling.

Hartenstein has also made Wemby work as the primary matchup. It is not likely that Hartenstein will change Game 7 by scoring 35 points, but he could muck up ten games again and leave Spurs supporters teary-eyed, placing blame on the referees.

6. Julian Champagnie

Shooters shoot, and Julian Champagnie is on laser watch. He is shooting 43 percent on seven 3-point attempts over the last two games after going 6-31 to begin the series. Champagnie is trending in the right direction, and OKC can't afford to let him catch fire.

Confidence is key as a sniper, and Champagnie never lost his, even in the drought. Do not be surprised if OKC is paying extra attention to the Spurs' best standstill shooter.

5. Cason Wallace

When discussing the best hands in the NBA, Wallace's name has to be brought up quickly. This full-court rip away from Dylan Harper makes little sense. Guards should not be this sturdy with the agility he has.

Wallace makes his name on that side of the ball, but his shot can come at times. He is shooting 45 percent on low volume during this run. Wallace's ability to make decisions from the free-throw line extended is a big bonus with the way teams guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. He is one of those players who are usually at the right place at the right time.

4. Devin Vassell

It's arguable who the Spurs' best sniper is because Vassell keeps a couple in the chamber himself. His ability to put the ball on the floor makes him even more dangerous. Chet Holmgren found out how confident and serious Vassell is. A sniper rejecting a 7-foot-1 big's shot, then letting him know he's not getting anything easy. This is playoff basketball.

Vassell has made at least three 3s in four of the six games. That trend is likely to continue as he takes advantage of the spacing Wemby provides. Vassell is a mover who keeps defenses on their toes. Leave him, and it's lights out. If you close out, he could beat you off the bounce. San Antonio will need Vassell's electric shotmaking to bury the ruckus OKC crowd.

3. Dylan Harper

This is the first and last time Dylan Harper will ever be on a role player list. He has star written all over him with his silky ball control and poise. He makes rookie mistakes, but who hasn't? The Thunder will not be looking at him as just a rookie in Game 7.

Harper has the kind of game that could change the momentum in a do-or-die matchup. He can dribble, pass, and shoot, plus he is fearless. In Harper's first playoff start, he carved up the Thunder. Harper started for DeAaron Fox, but even off the bench, Harper can be an impactful rookie.

It is on the table that Harper delivers again and helps steer the Spurs to the Finals for the first time since 2014.

2. Alex Caruso

This postseason has produced "Alex Caruso is a top-five role player ever" shouts. It is hard to side-eye those living in this moment. Recency bias aside, Caruso absolutely deserves to be in those conversations.

SGA put it best. "He's one of the best competitors in the NBA, night in and night out. He wears that." Caruso does whatever it takes to win. Maybe that's locking down Nikola Jokić with roamers aiding him. Maybe it's knocking down 56 percent of his 3s on six attempts like he is doing against the Spurs. Whatever it takes, Caruso is game.

Many believed his shooting would have fallen off a cliff by now, as he was a below-average shooter in the regular season. He gets those elite role player shouts because he steps up in big moments. The Thunder will not lose a win-or-go-home Game 7 if Caruso is burying shots like Game 1 (8-14 from 3).

1. Jared McCain

If you are an anti-stats, only trust the eye-test type of ball consumer, this Jared McCain series made you double down on your philosophy. McCain has a chilling 45 true shooting percentage, yet the Spurs will have him circled for Game 7. The momentum swinging shots he hits don't get an extra boost in the box score. McCain dropping his shoulder into Wemby's chest doesn't count for anything with no bucket, but it shows he's not afraid of the moment.

Whether he starts or comes off the bench, McCain comes into the game to let it go. He has the shortest memory of anybody on the floor. This inefficient series from the second-year player, the Philadelphia 76ers traded for nothing, does not feel like a standard brick fest. Spurs fans feel it when the joyous McCain lets it go.

He is the quintessential candidate for a Game 7 explosion. Confidence, movement shooting, aggression, and a carefreeness that helps his game are all in McCain's repertoire. He has not done it on this stage like Caruso has, but his ability to put it in the bucket could change Game 7.

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