Alex Caruso’s Impact Goes Beyond the Stats for OKC Thunder

Alex Caruso made a huge impact in his first game with the Thunder.

Oct 24, 2024; Denver, Colorado, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder guard Alex Caruso (9) before the game against the Denver Nuggets at Ball Arena. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images / Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images

Oklahoma City’s opening night demolition of Denver proved that the preseason hype was warranted. The Thunder improved an already elite roster this offseason and the buzz around the team wasn’t just talk. When they are at their best, there’s not many teams in the NBA able to slow them down.

The Thunder added Isaiah Hartenstein to fill in the front court depth and add another playmaking big man, which should pay off exponentially. The under the radar move, though, was swapping Josh Giddey for Alex Caruso. Nobody saw the move coming, but it was easy to envision what Caruso would look like in the Thunder’s system. If the first game was any indication, the transition will be as seamless as possible.

Caruso’s impact on the floor is opposite from a handful of playmakers the Thunder has had in the past. Across the league, it’s easy to box score watch and see big point totals pile up night after night. Even the assists and rebounds sometimes don’t tell the full story. Caruso is the opposite though. His impact might not fully show in the stat sheet, but his presence is felt every time he steps on the court. He makes his team instantly better, and he’ll do anything to help the Thunder win — including sacrificing his personal stats.

On Thursday night in Denver, Caruso played 19 minutes and only took two total shots. He recorded six rebounds, two of those being offensive boards, and four assists. He didn’t score, but he was the perfect connector for the Thunder. He finished the game with a team high +19. Plus minus isn’t the end all be all in the NBA, but when it matches up with the eye test it can be useful. And Caruso’s impact was felt on the court and in the box score.

Here’s how you end up a game-high plus 19 and a defensive game-changer while scoring 0 points with 0 steals and 0 blocks.

Look beyond the box score when you watch Alex Caruso.

🔊 on: pic.twitter.com/Pcdezhh708

— Steph Noh (@StephNoh) October 25, 2024

He was diving for loose balls, extending possessions, battling for offensive and defensive rebounds, and filling a critical role for the Thunder. Oklahoma City has a plethora of legit isolation scorers, and they don’t need Caruso to be another one. He’s a connector on the court and knows who needs the ball, and that’s exactly what the Thunder needs from a top tier role player.

In the midst of the fun, Caruso even gave his first postgame bark in the team's interview on the court.

Oklahoma City needed a player who didn't care about personal stats and only cared about impact on the floor. They got that player in Caruso, and it was evident last night.

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