Alex Caruso offered insight into Oklahoma City’s 114-110 overtime victory over the Detroit Pistons on Monday at Paycom Center. “Once you get and stylistically playing against a team like Detroit…you just got to shift your mentality to know that it’s going to be kind of grimy…get stops and play physical,” Caruso said.
Caruso praised Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s performance, noting his ability to elevate teammates. “He was reigning MVP, first team All-NBA, best guard in the world for a reason…when it’s more than just his game, his mentality in those moments is magnificent to watch and be a part of,” Caruso explained. He emphasized how SGA’s mindset drives the team, saying, “We really thrive off of him having that…to just kind of will yourself to wins.”
Reflecting on late-game drama, Caruso addressed the overturned potential game-winner. “Obviously not happy with the call…that would have been a sad way to end such a good game, you know, with putting it in the hands of the officials,” he said, noting the team’s ability to regroup for overtime. Caruso cited a similar situation against Denver earlier in the season, explaining, “You just shift the mentality, whatever it takes to get the win is what it’s going to be.”
Caruso also discussed recognizing championship-level teams early. “You see that from day one…early in training camp, you realize how much talent you have…we learned on the fly and I recognized that pretty early,” he said, reflecting on both his current squad and his previous championship experience with the Lakers.
Highlighting roster development, Caruso spoke on Ajay Mitchell’s impact. “It’s great to have him healthy…he stuck out as a rookie…for him to come back and get better and be a better player this year, much better than he was last year, it speaks volumes to him as a competitor and as a player.”
Caruso explained the trust required in critical moments, referencing his experience with LeBron James. “There was one shot I remember against Houston in game four of the playoffs in the bubble…he threw it to me in the corner and I hit a three…you try to be there and be present and compete just to be ready to make the play for him,” he said, underscoring SGA’s similar reliability in late-game situations.
When asked about the MVP discussion, Caruso deferred, saying, “I kind of same thing as last year…he got a game-winner against the number one seed in the East called off tonight and then have 47. His game does a lot of talking. Not much I need to say for him.”
Caruso also compared end-of-season scenarios. “There’s benefits to both…you want to make an argument that…games that aren’t against playoff level teams could be bad…but…stuff pays dividends in the long run because you can practice that as much as you want…until you get in the game and have to do it full speed, it really doesn’t measure up,” he noted.
