Stiles Points: Alex Caruso Shows Playoff Potential for OKC Thunder

The Oklahoma City Thunder have seen Alex Caruso gain comfortability with the team in recent weeks. His game against the Utah Jazz flashes playoff potential for the OKC Thunder.

Feb 7, 2025; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder guard Alex Caruso (9) high fives guard Aaron Wiggins (21) after a play against the Toronto Raptors during the second quarter at Paycom Center. Mandatory Credit: Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images / Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images

Friday was a long awaited game for the Oklahoma City Thunder. After two block buster moves to bolster its roster this season, the Thunder had to wait until Feb. 21 to see its full projected playoff rotation healthy and whole.

While the matchup was a lowly Jazz squad, the Thunder took care of business in a wire-to-wire win that flashed its playoff potential. Especially with Alex Caruso's performance.

Sure, the defensive ace has turned in louder scoring games than Friday, but his functionality alongside his teammates made this tilt with the Jazz his best game of the season.

Caruso posted eight points, three rebounds, six assists and two steals in 18 minutes of action in the Thunder's lopsided win over the Jazz, where the veteran guard was a +11.

The Oklahoma City Thunder saw Caruso connect its offense in a big way. His ability to read the floor shined on more than one occasion. The veteran guard is patient with the ball in his hands, forcing defenses to commit and Caruso reacts to make the right play.

His spacing helps free up himself and others with his perfectly timed cut throughs to force the defense to react, his ability to float to the dunker spot to provide a saftey net on drives and his catch-and-shoot numbers which continue to climb in recent weeks.

On the defensive end, his activity is unmatched. Caruso can guard 1-4 comfortably and pitch in on fives as well. His gap help flusters drivers, the angles he takes cuts off the base line, and his elite screen navigation helps prevent mismatches when he is on the floor.

The Texas A&M product is the ultimate glue guy and will be a key part of the Oklahoma City Thunder's playoff run as the team attempts to march its way to the NBA Finals as the Western Conference favorites.

I thought Friday’s game showed exactly how Alex Caruso ideally is used for the Thunder, a connective offensive player and a defensive stopper: pic.twitter.com/SAOV7Fsyzo

— Rylan Stiles (@Rylan_Stiles) February 23, 2025

Stiles Points

• Aaron Wiggins has to be an X Factor for the Oklahoma City Thunder in the playoffs and since the New Year, has been. Against the Utah Jazz, his connective passing was on display in a big way to help the OKC Thunder find its groove on offense.
• The Oklahoma City Thunder will play its second straight game with a fully healthy playoff rotation at its disposal. Mark Daigneault went with a playoff like rotation, monitoring if that is similar against Minnesota will be one of the biggest things to watch on Sunday.
• Chet Holmgren is slated to roll on Sunday in his home state, but has not played a back-to-back stretch since returning from injury. While it is up in the air if Holmgren plays Monday, this is the worst type of back-to-back. Not only does it involve travel but Sunday's game doesn't tip-off until 8:30 PM CT while Monday's game starts at 7:00 PM CT on Monday. An even quicker turnaround.
• The Oklahoma City Thunder will only see two games inside the Paycom Center between Sunday and March 3.

Song of the Day: Wake Up by Arcade Fire

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