Bringing the basketball up the court, opposing high-usage scorers must pick their poison on most possessions against the Oklahoma City Thunder this upcoming season.
If they draw back-to-back All-Defensive member Alex Caruso, a switch will likely bring them Lu Dort — someone likely on his way to his first All-Defensive honors. Good luck getting past him.
If they ask for another screen, Cason Wallace could get matched up. The 20-year-old has defensive chops. Ask CJ McCollum about him when he was shut down in Game 1 of Round 1 in the NBA playoffs in the final seconds.
If enough time is left on the shot clock for a fourth switch, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is no weakness. He’s an underrated defender and led the league in steals last season.
If an opposing scorer somehow manages to beat all levels, their final boss battle will occur at the rim. Expect Chet Holmgren — who was second in blocks last season and already one of the best rim protectors — to either swallow their shot attempt up or force out a bad kick-out pass.
It was already the case last season, but especially more now following Caruso’s addition — the Thunder will force players to earn their baskets. Nobody on the floor will be a major negative on the defensive side.
When Wallace is on the bench, Jalen Williams is no slouch either. His lengthy wingspan and solid physical size make him a good defender. If he’s the worst defender on the floor, that speaks volumes to a squad’s depth.
The Thunder’s acquisition of Caruso helped them strengthen a top-five defense from last year. They enter this upcoming season with arguably the best defensive personnel both outside and inside.
The 30-year-old reintroduced himself to the Thunder nearly a decade after his first unmemorable stop. In his first media scrum with the Thunder, Caruso was excited about the defensive possibilities.
“I looked up some highlights on YouTube the other day of them playing defense just to kinda get myself into that kinda headspace because I was excited for it,” Caruso said. “Long, athletic, competitive, tough. Those are all things that we just described as All-Defensive caliber players, good defensive teams.
“They have a lot of that. They have rim protection. They got active hands. Guys that are willing to sacrifice for the team. Those are all things that are important. I’m just excited to add to that.”
In OKC, he will get the luxury of not being asked to be the top POA stopper like he was with the Chicago Bulls. This gives him a chance to dominate matchups against lesser offense threats.
“I just know I’m not gonna be the main focus every night defensively,” Caruso said. “I think in Chicago everyone had me No. 1 on the radar for the defensive gameplan and I think with Lu, with Chet, those are guys you have to account for.”
The Thunder made the best of Josh Giddey’s dissatisfaction. They traded in his passing and size for perimeter defense and shooting. Considering OKC’s style on both sides of the ball, it’s a better fit.
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