Oklahoma City Thunder guard Alex Caruso previewed the upcoming Western Conference semifinal matchup against the Denver Nuggets, emphasizing the challenge that awaits his team.
After a nine-day break following their first-round sweep of Memphis, Caruso acknowledged the value of finally having a game on the schedule.
“We’ve been kind of in a stalling pattern just going through practices and workouts and watching games from afar,” Caruso said. “We’re excited to get back on the court and play.”
Caruso credited Denver’s postseason poise, pointing to their Game 7 win over the Clippers as evidence of their championship pedigree.
“They have championship-caliber players, Hall of Fame players,” Caruso said. “They didn’t really blink. They kind of rose to the occasion.”
When asked about defending Nikola Jokic, Caruso described the reigning MVP as one of the toughest assignments in the league.
“If you do a great job on guys of that caliber, they’ll probably get their averages,” he said. “If you don’t, they could go for headline stuff.”
Caruso stressed the need to make things difficult for Jokic on every possession.
“He’s maybe the toughest coverage guy in the league,” Caruso said. “He rebounds, passes, scores, and he’s improved defensively.”
Mimicking Jokic in practice, according to Caruso, isn’t realistic.
“You can’t mimic it,” he said. “You can just go through sets they like to run, spots that he likes to get to on the court.”
Denver’s offensive system centers around Jokic, but Caruso also highlighted the importance of defending Jamal Murray and Russell Westbrook.
“Jamal could maybe have a couple All-Stars under his belt,” Caruso said. “They say playoff risers, but I think he just plays to his normal level.”
Caruso also acknowledged Westbrook’s energy and impact in a different role.
“He’s one of the great competitors that this game has ever seen,” Caruso said. “He has a knack for making plays.”
On the topic of how to contain Jokic’s playmaking without overcommitting, Caruso emphasized the need for defensive versatility.
“You can throw just about every coverage you want at him,” he said. “You can’t just double team him or just leave him alone.”
He pointed out that defending the Nuggets requires attention to detail beyond just Jokic.
“You’re going to have to help on him and close out and play defense on Michael Porter Jr., or get in rotation on Russ, or play Braun, Murray,” Caruso said.
Caruso also spoke highly of Christian Braun’s emergence this season.
“He just seems a lot more confident,” he said. “He’s another guy that you could throw in that X-factor category for them.”
Internally, Caruso praised the Thunder’s culture of opportunity, noting the development of role players like Isaiah Joe, Aaron Wiggins, and AJ Mitchell.
“This organization — they’re not afraid to kind of throw you out there and give you the opportunity to show that you belong,” he said.
Looking ahead, Caruso made clear that mindset and competitive spirit will define who advances.
“There’s guys in the postseason who are the difference between going home and staying alive,” Caruso said.
Oklahoma City will host Game 1 against Denver on Tuesday night.
