How Thunder's 'super competitive' defense has allowed Alex Caruso to be himself

02/12/2025 06:40 PM

Oklahoma City Thunder guard Alex Caruso’s approach to the game has helped elevate his team to becoming the top-ranked defense in the NBA. The All-Defensive Second Team guard’s addition to a defensive-minded team with the best record in the Western Conference has yielded positive results. Caruso’s presence in the backcourt, coupled with veteran Isaiah Hartenstein’s ascension to the Thunder’s starting center job, head coach Mark Daigneault has guided his team to a 43-9 record 52 games into the 2024-25 campaign.

While Daigneault’s player rotation consistently holds themselves accountable on the defensive end of the floor, Caruso believes the additions of him and Hartenstein put the Thunder over the top, per Thunder Wire’s Clemente Almanza.

“I don’t know if we’ve set it out loud or mentioned it, but we know how special the group we have. Before me and Hart showed up, last year they were already a really good defensive group,” Caruso said. “Adding us helped push them to be better than they were. This group is made up of super competitive, really hungry guys. When you get 8-10 guys that can all guard and have the same mentality, those are the results you’re going to get.”

The Thunder lead the NBA in fewest points allowed (104.6) and defensive efficiency (1.018), per TeamRankings.com. Caruso’s role off the bench supports a nucleus led by two-way players such as MVP candidate Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, All-Star Jalen Williams, and a towering force between Chet Holmgren and Hartenstein in the starting frontcourt.

Alex Caruso’s defense and championship pedigree as a member of the 2020 champion Lakers stands out as well, while the Thunder will look to build off their second-round exit in last year’s playoffs to make their first trip in 13 years to the NBA Finals.

Chet Holmgren on how Isaiah Hartenstein impacts the Thunder

Thunder forward Chet Holmgren started alongside center Isaiah Hartenstein for the first time in a 121-109 win against the Raptors. After the win, Holmgren discussed how impressed he was with Hartenstein’s overall approach.

"You can talk about his rebounding on both sides. You can talk about his screening the way he gets guys open. You can talk about his defense; he wasn’t guarding his true position tonight for most of the game," Holmgren said. "And at the end of the day, he competes. You always want to play with dudes that compete. If somebody’s soft, and it’s showing, you never want to play with guys like that. That’s just not him at all."

The Thunder will look to stretch their six-game winning streak to seven against the Heat on Wednesday.

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