OKC Thunder: Duo of Wallace, Caruso Present as Elite Defensive Front

OKC's defensive guard front is showing their disruptive capabilities in the preseason.

Oct 9, 2024; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder guard Cason Wallace (22) during warm ups before a game against the Houston Rockets at Paycom Center. Mandatory Credit: Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images / Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images

With guards expanding their scoring skillsets more and more in the NBA, having guards who perform elite on-ball defending is more crucial than ever. The OKC Thunder appear to have a tandem of guards to defend its opponent's best players.

Alex Caruso, a seven-year NBA veteran, has proven himself as one of the best defensive players in the league. In OKC's fourth preseason game against the Denver Nuggets, which resulted in a 124-94 victory, Caruso put everyone he was guarding through the ringer, including rookie Trey Alexander. He forced a turnover on the young rookie in the second quarter, which led to a fast-break dunk and narrowed the score between the two teams.

Adding Caruso to the Thunder roster was a surprise but made perfect sense. He was the veteran addition OKC needed on both sides of the ball. Pinpointing a moment when Caruso does not bring intensity on defense is a challenge and he will be a reliable on-ball defender for the opposing team's best guard.

Alongside Caruso is second-year guard Cason Wallace. He brings a similar intensity on the defensive side of the ball that was also highlighted in the Thunder's win over the Nuggets. He's athletic and provides another pesky on-ball defender, but can also jump passing lanes. Most notably, Wallace intercepted a pass from Denver guard Christian Braun and went coast-to-coast for a fast-break slam.

This play perfectly highlights what Wallace brings to the table and why the pair of defensive guards could create chaos for opposing offenses. Wallace is young and energetic and is capable of playing high-level defense, both on and away from a ball handler. His defensive instincts for a young guard are impressive and appear to have improved since his rookie year.

Having this duo to guard opposing guards is a luxury many teams don't have and one the Thunder should be grateful for. There are teams in the NBA, like the Phoenix Suns and Dallas Mavericks, who have a pair of elite guards. Oklahoma City may be one of the only teams that have the personnel to defend pairs of guards like those.

Wallace and Caruso aren't the only great defenders on the Thunder. Forwards Jalen Williams and Lu Dort also bring defensive intensity to the court and their bigger frames allow them to guard multiple positions. Dort is known for his physicality and ability to defend bigger forwards, so pairing him with defensive guards like Caruso and Wallace makes for a challenging group to score on.

Both Caruso and Wallace, outside of their defensive skills, can knock down shots from the perimeter and handle the ball. Wallace played small amounts at the point guard spot in college and last year, which adds another layer of versatility to his game.

The pair of guards may have fluctuating minutes this season, but regardless, the two can step in at any moment and be OKC's best defender. Having both Caruso and Wallace is a luxury and will make the Oklahoma City Thunder harder to beat on multiple levels.

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