From undrafted to NBA Champion to All-Defense, Alex Caruso has built an impressive resume.
In his first season with the Oklahoma City Thunder, Caruso has continued to show he is one of the best defenders in the league.
Despite this, Caruso has also brought some offensive struggles with him.
Here are the different ways Caruso can become a key player during a championship run or become an afterthought in lineups:
Caruso Was An Offensive Liability
In his first 24 games this season, Caruso massively struggled on the offensive end, averaging 5.5 points per game, shooting 36.8% from the field and 29.3% from three.
In today’s NBA, having someone on the court who is this much of a negative on one side of the floor is nearly impossible. Ironically enough, this is part of why they traded Josh Giddey last off-season for Caruso.
Since those first 24 games, Caruso has made a 180.
In his past 24 games, Caruso has averaged 8.1 points, shooting 50.7% from the field and 41.3% from three. In these 24 games, Caruso has been one of OKC’s most essential players. A player providing 20 minutes of phenomenal defense and lethal perimeter shooting is invaluable in the playoffs.
(via databallr.com)
These past 24 games are who Caruso is. Caruso shoots a career 37.7% from three, including 40.8% last season on 4.7 attempts. If Caruso continues this shooting in the playoffs, he will be a key contributor to championship aspirations.
Defensive Juggernaut
Defense has been the story of Caruso’s career and for good reason. Per 36 minutes this season, Caruso is averaging 2.9 steals and 1.1 blocks per game. Caruso has been trusted to guard the opponent’s best guards for his entire career. With OKC already having other spectacular perimeter defenders, having a defender like Alex Caruso is a luxury.
Even though he is a luxury, Caruso will still have great defensive responsibility. When starters like Luguentz Dort, Jalen Williams, or even Cason Wallace are off the court, Caruso will guard the opponent’s star guard. If he can be at least a neutral offensive player, he will see meaningful playoff minutes.
Increased Minutes in the Playoffs?
Like many teams, OKC will have shortened rotations in the playoffs. This will likely mean Kenrich Williams and Jaylin Williams see reduced minutes, if any. This allows Caruso to see an increased playing time. Due to OKC’s incredible depth, Caruso plays just 19.2 minutes per game this year, which is a big step down from his 28.7 minutes last year.
With this increased playing time, Caruso will have more opportunities to be a primary defender on stars like Anthony Edwards, James Harden, Steph Curry, and Luka Doncic. Over time, it will be clear just how important Alex Caruso is to this OKC team.
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