It wasn’t too long ago when the Thunder were down 2-1 against the Nuggets, and people were questioning if they were still not yet ready. In addition, in Game 4 of that series, the Thunder went down six entering the 4th quarter, and many believed they would be going down 3-1. However, that was not the case, as they came back in that game to tie the series 2-2 and went on to win Games 5 and 7, ultimately securing the series. Now, they have a 2-0 series lead over the Timberwolves and are in the driver’s seat to make it back to the NBA Finals for the first time since 2012. The question is, how is one of the youngest teams in the NBA doing this? The answer to that starts with their MVP, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander; however, Alex Caruso has been the Thunder’s MVP for these playoffs.
The Thunder made a huge trade when they traded away Josh Giddey, one of their young stars, for Caruso. During the regular season, he was struggling and was in and out of the lineup due to injury. However, he is making his money worth it in these playoffs as he is averaging 9.2 points per game, shooting 47.8% from the field, and 44.4% from beyond the arc. In addition, he is averaging 2.2 stocks per game. Regardless, the stats will never tell the full story with Caruso. Let’s dive into why Alex Caruso has been the Thunder’s MVP for these playoffs.
Alex Caruso Has Been The Thunder’s MVP in the Playoffs
Caruso is What Gordon Hayward Was Supposed to be
After coming off a 40-42 season, the Thunder made a huge jump from winning 40 games to 57 games last year. Since they were ready for the playoffs, the Thunder made a trade at that year’s deadline for Gordon Hayward. Many people thought they should have traded for a big, but on paper, this was a great move for the Thunder. Hayward was supposed to be the veteran leadership off the bench who could steady the offense whenever Gilgeous-Alexander wasn’t on the court and make timely buckets. However, that was not the case in the playoffs, as he barely played for the Thunder and was out of the rotation in the Mavericks series.
Last offseason, the Thunder still wanted a veteran to come off the bench for that role, and they went after Caruso. Nonetheless, the difference between Hayward and Caruso was that the latter won a ring, and he did it playing alongside LeBron James. Caruso is a veteran who can come off the bench and help steady things on offense for a young Thunder squad, while making timely baskets. Additionally, he helps this team navigate the highs and lows of a playoff series and which he did in the Nuggets series. Overall, Caruso does everything needed to help this young Thunder squad win in the playoffs.
Caruso’s Offensive Impact
Caruso’s offensive impact has been huge for the Thunder during the postseason. He may not be the flashy scorer off the bench like other teams have, and his 9.2 points per game might not stand out. However, the Thunder wouldn’t be where they are without Caruso’s offensive contributions. Shooting 44.4% from three, Caruso has been the only consistent outside shooting threat for OKC. The next closest players in the rotation are Isaiah Joe at 37.8% and Cason Wallace at 34.2%. His ability to come in and make timely buckets or hit consistent threes, especially on the road, has been huge for the Thunder and something they didn’t have a year ago.
Caruso’s offensive impact doesn’t stop there, as he does a great job with moving the ball around and just being in the right spots on offense. In Game 2 against Minnesota, the Timberwolves deployed more zone against the Thunder in hopes of stopping the Thunder’s offense like the Nuggets did. During that time in the game, Caruso scored seven straight points for the Thunder to keep their offense flowing and consistent. This was an element that OKC didn’t have a year ago.
Caruso’s Defensive Impact
In addition to his offensive impact, there is also his defensive impact. Caruso’s ability to cover all positions has shown up in the playoffs. In the first round of the Memphis series, he took Jaren Jackson Jr. out of his game, only averaging 16.0 points per game, but the efficiency was the key as he shot 38% from the field and 27% from three. He covered Ja Morant in the series, but was mostly on Jackson.
Then, in the next series, being able to take on the best player in the world in Nikola Jokic, and frustrating him to where he only had two good games out of seven, was crucial in the Thunder advancing. Especially, what he was able to do to Jokic in Game 7, taking him completely out of the game. Overall, Jokic shot just 33.3 percent from the field when guarded by Caruso.
Now in the Timberwolves series, he is tasked to cover Anthony Edwards, Julius Randle, and Naz Reid. In the two games so far, he has been able to frustrate them all in stretches, but mostly doing it to Randle and Reid. His addition to this defense is the reason that they have been historic all season long, not only with his play on that end of the floor but also his communication on that end. Caruso, Lu Dort, and Cason Wallace have created a dominant point-of-attack trio that the league hasn’t seen in a while.
The Last Word
It took a while for Thunder fans to see the investment for Caruso pay off. However, now that they are seeing it, he is earning every dollar from the extension that he got. The Thunder are just two wins away from the NBA Finals and six wins away from winning it. There is still a long way to go, and this series with the Timberwolves is far from over, but the Thunder wouldn’t be in this position without Caruso. While Gilgeous-Alexander is the Thunder’s best player and the MVP of the league, Caruso has been the MVP for the Thunder in these playoffs and a huge reason as to why they are knocking on the door of a championship.
Featured image: © Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images
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