Even before the 124-97 loss to the Charlotte Hornets on Monday, the Oklahoma City Thunder guard Alex Caruso said he could feel a clear difference in how opponents are approaching games against them now.
“Last year, I feel like we went to the regular season and we had to earn our respect through winning, because we hadn’t done anything yet,” he told Joel Lorenzi of The Athletic.
That dynamic, according to Caruso, has flipped since winning the championship.
“A lot of teams probably didn’t show up with the same energy and same mindset that they do this year,” he said, explaining that opponents now treat matchups against them as a measuring stick.
Caruso also admitted that the response on his own side has not always matched that urgency.
“A lot of times, I think we’re not playing our best, at least not to the level that these other teams are coming in with,” he said. “The mindset, the execution. Maybe their will to win is a little higher than ours, which shouldn’t be the case.”
Caruso has played 9 seasons for the Lakers, Bulls, and Thunder. He has averaged 6.8 points, 2.9 rebounds, and 2.8 assists in 443 regular-season games.
He has won 2 NBA championships.
Thunder Notes: Slump, SGA, Caruso, Trade Deadline, Carlson https://t.co/MAL3IRUeLH pic.twitter.com/1gFBqJzk3n
— Hoops Rumors (@HoopsRumors) January 7, 2026
