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OKLAHOMA CITY — Oklahoma City Thunder veteran Alex Caruso is the only player of the young juggernaut No. 1 seed with championship experience. Thunder All-Star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander addressed his team’s point of emphasis before Caruso described himself as an elite competitor, as the undrafted rookie has emerged as one of the better NBA backcourt defenders. The 2020 Los Angeles Lakers champion guard had plenty to say after Game 2’s 118-99 win.
Caruso tends to crank the intensity up a notch for the postseason, and so far, two games into the Thunder’s best-of-7 first-round series, with a 2-0 lead intact, this year is no different.
“There is a difference in this type of basketball. This time of year, with the attention to detail, the level of competition, I feel like I’m one of the great competitors in this league,” Caruso said. “I might not be in the top half or quarter, whatever you want to put, talent-wise, like, just natural talent, but as far as competing, and trying to win. I’m in the elite group of that. I’m ready to just go out and do what it takes to win. And that’s highlighted this time of year.”
Thunder's Alex Caruso led the bench with 13 points, four rebounds, three assists, three steals, and one block in Tuesday’s win. He also helped limit Grizzlies guards Scotty Pippen (4-12), Desmond Bane (7-17), and Ja Morant (10-25) to subpar field-goal percentages as the three starters combined for 21-of-54 (38.8%) shooting. Memphis committed 14 turnovers.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander on Thunder’s ‘point of emphasis’
Leading his team with 27 points, Thunder All-Star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander struggled with his shooting in Game 2 against the Grizzlies. Still, Gilgeous-Alexander says outscoring the Grizzlies a combined 48-8 in fast-break points was a big part of why the Thunder hold a 2-0 lead.
After the victory, Gilgeous-Alexander explained why taking the Grizzlies’ fast-break opportunities away as often as possible remains a big part of the Thunder’s game plan throughout their first-round series.
“It’s a point of emphasis of ours for sure. They’re one of the fastest teams in the league, and giving them that is giving them their identity,” Gilgeous-Alexander said. “When you want to win basketball games, especially this late in the season, you have to take away something from the opposite team that they really like to do. We made that emphasis.”
When a reporter asked Gilgeous-Alexander which part of the fast-break margin he’s most proud of, he quipped the easy choice: “the eight we held them to.”
