OKC Thunder's Alex Caruso Needs Offensive Momentum in Return

The guard is expected to return from a hip injury for the Oklahoma City Thunder on Thursday.
Nov 8, 2024; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder guard Alex Caruso (9) during the second quarter against the Houston Rockets at Paycom Center. Mandatory Credit: Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images
Nov 8, 2024; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder guard Alex Caruso (9) during the second quarter against the Houston Rockets at Paycom Center. Mandatory Credit: Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images / Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images
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Alex Caruso was officially listed as "available" by the Oklahoma City Thunder on Wednesday.

The 30-year-old sustained a hip strain against the Portland Trail Blazers on Nov. 20, in which he dropped 17 points on 8-of-11 shooting. Since then, he's missed five-straight games.

In all likelihood, Caruso is expected to return to action for the Thunder at 6:30 p.m. Thursday night against the Toronto Raptors. Although it's maintained a 4-1 record since his absence began, it'll be a nice boost to have heading into the matchup and eventual NBA Cup quarterfinal play against the Dallas Mavericks.

Since joining Oklahoma City, Caruso has dominated on the defensive end. It's already a unit that has held teams strongly on that side of the ball last year, but with him, Luguentz Dort and Cason Wallace covering the perimeter, it's tough for opposing guards to excel in those situations.

However, Caruso's impact on the offensive end has been anything but that. Despite being a 40% 3-pointer shooter a season ago, his production fell off in his first 13 games. He's currently averaging five points on roughly 36/20/71 shooting splits — a stark contrast from his usual efficiency.

The Thunder counted on Caruso being an elite floor-spacer that could open up the floor for the offense, and although the shots have in fact been available for him, he just hasn't been able to knock them down at a reliable rate.

As Caruso gets ready to step back on the court, gaining some momentum on offense would be beneficial for Oklahoma City. Everyone knows his capability as an All-Defense caliber player, but unlocking the 3-point is important moving forward.


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Chase Gemes
CHASE GEMES

Chase is a junior at the University of Missouri studying journalism. He is a football and men’s basketball reporter for Missouri on SI.