Shai Gilgeous-Alexander admitted “the nerves have been pure” Sunday when the top-seeded Oklahoma Metropolis Thunder struggled offensively to start out Sport 7 of their Western Convention semifinal in opposition to Denver.
Jettisoning these jitters hinged upon OKC’s calling card — gritty, high-pressure protection personified in veteran Alex Caruso.
What the headbanded, 6-foot-5 reserve guard lacks in model consciousness he makes up for in expertise, an attribute that largely eluded the Thunder final season.
Buying Caruso from Chicago in an offseason commerce could not have made waves on the time, however Caruso definitely has since returning to town the place he began his professional profession. Now, the previous OKC Blue G-Leaguer is primed to assist the Thunder’s younger core take the subsequent step as they host the Minnesota Timberwolves to start the West finals Tuesday evening.
Chet Holmgren, Jalen Williams and Gilgeous-Alexander could look posh in a sure ubiquitous AT&T industrial, however they’re not averse to following Caruso’s measured but in-your-face lead on the ground.
“Simply making an attempt to be the place our ft are within the second, see what’s in entrance of us and attempt to assault it,” Gilgeous-Alexander mentioned. “Come out on the best finish of it.”
Oklahoma Metropolis restricted Denver to 39.3 % capturing Sunday, together with a 22.7 % effort from lengthy vary, en path to a 125-93 win. Caruso confirmed the way in which in his frequent half-court defensive project. He yielded six inches and important bulk to three-time NBA MVP Nikola Jokic — however little else — serving to restrict Jokic to twenty factors. Practically half of these — 9 — got here on the free-throw line.
“For me,” Caruso mentioned, “it’s nearly competing … being relentless with my power, the trouble to make it powerful on him, and clearly the fellows round me did an excellent job of serving to and swarming that, as a result of I’m not doing that by myself.”
What Caruso can take credit score for — although he doubtless received’t — is a contagious tenacity that has helped the Thunder maintain opponents below 100 factors 4 instances in 11 postseason video games.
A West semifinalist final season following a play-in loss to Minnesota in 2023, the Thunder hit the bottom working of their playoff opener April 20, as Caruso aided an effort that restricted Memphis to 34.4 % capturing, together with 17.6 % from deep.
“I’ve been lucky sufficient to play with Corridor of Famers, been coached by Corridor of Famers, the elite of the elite,” Caruso mentioned. “I’ve simply been stealing stuff from different folks and honing it and dealing on it, and now I’m making an attempt to cross it on to the remainder of the fellows.
“I believe that they’ve accomplished an excellent job of that. Our communication stage, our sense of urgency, our potential to dissect and transfer ahead is so much higher than it was, I believe, after I first bought right here. And that’s the important thing — utilizing that stuff that I’ve discovered from different folks and passing it on to the others and elevate me, too.”
OKC must maintain elevating its stage in opposition to a Wolves staff that superior to the West finals final season. Anthony Edwards makes Minnesota go and is averaging 26.5 factors, 8.0 rebounds and 5.9 assists within the playoffs — corresponding to Gilgeous-Alexander’s 29.0, 5.9 and 6.4.
“Actually final 12 months’s expertise helps a ton, and that’s what actually that is all about — layering these experiences on prime of one another so you possibly can draw from them again and again and acquire confidence,” Minnesota coach Chris Finch mentioned.
The Wolves’ roster isn’t a complete duplicate from final season, after all. Massive man Karl-Anthony Cities was traded to the East finalist New York Knicks in trade for Julius Randle and Donte DiVincenzo.
It’s a testomony to Caruso that he can defend the small ahead or capturing guard with equal aplomb.
No matter problem lies in entrance of them, the Thunder seem poised to pounce Caruso-style — aggressive however conscious.
“I believe that’s why we’ve gotten this far within the season,” Gilgeous-Alexander mentioned, “and we’re going to proceed to take action.”
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander admitted “the nerves have been pure” Sunday when the top-seeded Oklahoma Metropolis Thunder struggled offensively to start out Sport 7 of their Western Convention semifinal in opposition to Denver.
Jettisoning these jitters hinged upon OKC’s calling card — gritty, high-pressure protection personified in veteran Alex Caruso.
What the headbanded, 6-foot-5 reserve guard lacks in model consciousness he makes up for in expertise, an attribute that largely eluded the Thunder final season.
Buying Caruso from Chicago in an offseason commerce could not have made waves on the time, however Caruso definitely has since returning to town the place he began his professional profession. Now, the previous OKC Blue G-Leaguer is primed to assist the Thunder’s younger core take the subsequent step as they host the Minnesota Timberwolves to start the West finals Tuesday evening.
Chet Holmgren, Jalen Williams and Gilgeous-Alexander could look posh in a sure ubiquitous AT&T industrial, however they’re not averse to following Caruso’s measured but in-your-face lead on the ground.
“Simply making an attempt to be the place our ft are within the second, see what’s in entrance of us and attempt to assault it,” Gilgeous-Alexander mentioned. “Come out on the best finish of it.”
Oklahoma Metropolis restricted Denver to 39.3 % capturing Sunday, together with a 22.7 % effort from lengthy vary, en path to a 125-93 win. Caruso confirmed the way in which in his frequent half-court defensive project. He yielded six inches and important bulk to three-time NBA MVP Nikola Jokic — however little else — serving to restrict Jokic to twenty factors. Practically half of these — 9 — got here on the free-throw line.
“For me,” Caruso mentioned, “it’s nearly competing … being relentless with my power, the trouble to make it powerful on him, and clearly the fellows round me did an excellent job of serving to and swarming that, as a result of I’m not doing that by myself.”
What Caruso can take credit score for — although he doubtless received’t — is a contagious tenacity that has helped the Thunder maintain opponents below 100 factors 4 instances in 11 postseason video games.
A West semifinalist final season following a play-in loss to Minnesota in 2023, the Thunder hit the bottom working of their playoff opener April 20, as Caruso aided an effort that restricted Memphis to 34.4 % capturing, together with 17.6 % from deep.
“I’ve been lucky sufficient to play with Corridor of Famers, been coached by Corridor of Famers, the elite of the elite,” Caruso mentioned. “I’ve simply been stealing stuff from different folks and honing it and dealing on it, and now I’m making an attempt to cross it on to the remainder of the fellows.
“I believe that they’ve accomplished an excellent job of that. Our communication stage, our sense of urgency, our potential to dissect and transfer ahead is so much higher than it was, I believe, after I first bought right here. And that’s the important thing — utilizing that stuff that I’ve discovered from different folks and passing it on to the others and elevate me, too.”
OKC must maintain elevating its stage in opposition to a Wolves staff that superior to the West finals final season. Anthony Edwards makes Minnesota go and is averaging 26.5 factors, 8.0 rebounds and 5.9 assists within the playoffs — corresponding to Gilgeous-Alexander’s 29.0, 5.9 and 6.4.
“Actually final 12 months’s expertise helps a ton, and that’s what actually that is all about — layering these experiences on prime of one another so you possibly can draw from them again and again and acquire confidence,” Minnesota coach Chris Finch mentioned.
The Wolves’ roster isn’t a complete duplicate from final season, after all. Massive man Karl-Anthony Cities was traded to the East finalist New York Knicks in trade for Julius Randle and Donte DiVincenzo.
It’s a testomony to Caruso that he can defend the small ahead or capturing guard with equal aplomb.
No matter problem lies in entrance of them, the Thunder seem poised to pounce Caruso-style — aggressive however conscious.
“I believe that’s why we’ve gotten this far within the season,” Gilgeous-Alexander mentioned, “and we’re going to proceed to take action.”
