Pickleskennedy1

61 | 3 hours ago

It’s ridiculous how instrumental he’s been in this series and the two that went seven last year

He’s like their secret weapon. Like tenth in minutes in the regular season, but when they need him in the playoffs he’s one of their four best players

Cutmerock | Thunder

11 | 2 hours ago

It’s like the Thunder don’t play him all year so nobody can make a game plan against him. I don’t remember him playing many minutes during the regular season.

lethalizered | Thunder

13 | an hour ago

He played 1022 minutes in the regular season and is already at 290 for the playoffs after 13 games lol

Pharmboy_Andy

4 | an hour ago

Now that is a stat and a half.

KnowledgeUseful6731 | Thunder

7 | an hour ago

I’m almost convinced he shoots like ass in the regular season so that teams will leave him open in the playoffs. He’s shot 35% and 29% from 3 in the last two regular seasons which goes up to 41% and 48% in the playoffs 😭😭

Misleading_Username | Thunder

1 | 26 minutes ago

He could sit the whole regular season and just come in for the playoffs and he’d be worth his contract

CrissCrossAppleSos | Spurs

40 | 3 hours ago

I looked into it yesterday too, and in the 46 possessions where Caruso was guarded by Wemby he’s averaging 59 points per 75 possessions on a bit over 100% true shooting

No-Independence-761

23 | 2 hours ago

Tbf Wemby isn’t really ‘guarding’ him. Caruso’s being helped off in the corner, and he hasn’t really been closing out properly.

CrissCrossAppleSos | Spurs

14 | 2 hours ago

Yeah I get it, I just think it’s just a funky little stat (even if wildly misleading)

AO_from_DP | Thunder

7 | 2 hours ago

It’s true, he is not really being guarded at the 3pt line is this series at all. But even despite this he still had some really tough shots going in. That step back middy over Wemby was something

Traditional-Storm645 | Spurs

5 | an hour ago

Its basically the same thing PJ washington did to the thunder with shai “guarding” him

Funny how cyclical the league is

WhichHoes | Warriors

1 | an hour ago

Which is either negligent by the Spurs or genius by the thunder.

My assumption, at least when Shai is on the floor, is the design plays that move Shai away from Caruso, and since particular guys can guard Shai , the players that would typically get to Caruso are on the other side in case Shai gets a switch.

If not, why the fuck are the spurs leaving a dude who isnt missing in their series, open.

ExpressionAlone5204 | Thunder

11 | 3 hours ago

That might actually be a crazier stat. I can’t imagine there’s another player beating him in that one either.

kingfosa13 | Washington Bullets

6 | 3 hours ago

Goat defender

RealPrinceJay |

2 | an hour ago

I mean, that’s essentially be design. He’s being left open, he could be getting covered

…the problem is he’s fucking sniping out there lol

jgman22 | Pelicans

1 | an hour ago

In the 46 possessions he’s averaging 59 points per 75 possessions ? Why the fuck would you put it that way?

Nfanella | Thunder

13 | 3 hours ago

Josh Giddey was worth the pick

stylepoints99

9 | 2 hours ago

Sold high

Alchion

13 | 3 hours ago

obligatory fck jeanie

Psychological_Wear_7 | OKC

11 | 3 hours ago

1ST ballot Role Player HOF

BBallHunter | Thunder

8 | 3 hours ago

I would do anything for him.

Bobskidat | Thunder

7 | 2 hours ago

I really hope he wins WCF MVP if we make it through

preddevils6 | Grizzlies

4 | 2 hours ago

He shouldn’t. He’s great, but Shai is averaging more points and is the sole focal point on offense for the spurs defense.

The spurs are basically running an inverted triangle and 2 with Wemby as the base on shai when he’s in the game.

That and Caruso going 0/0 with four fouls in game 4 solidified it for Shai.

Worluvus | NBA

4 | 42 minutes ago

Are people so bored of SGA they’re thinking about Caruso for MVP? He’s creating every single opportunity for Caruso

dont_believe_this_ok

-6 | 2 hours ago

Fck OKC but he deserves it if you win. The longer the series gets the more respect I have for his hustle. I hate him but he’s someone I will want for my team.

kman1030 | Heat

8 | 2 hours ago

Honestly he doesn’t. I cant stand the Thunder or SGA, but SGA is averaging 9 ppg more than caruso, has more steals/blocks, 4x as many assists, while being the absolute focus of the Spurs defense. Caruso is making hustle plays and hitting alot of wide open shots.

It isnt really that close..

BBallHunter | Thunder

2 | 2 hours ago

It’s similar to the Steph vs Iggy debate in 2015.

lethalizered | Thunder

2 | 2 hours ago

Honestly if game 4 didn’t happen I could have seen a case for Alex to get it, but no player should ever be named the MVP of a series when you have a 0 point game in there lol

ExpressionAlone5204 | Thunder

1 | 2 hours ago

0 shots. He’s talked plenty about how he tries to adapt to the needs of the game and not trying to get points every night.

dont_believe_this_ok

2 | an hour ago

Basically the same argument warriors fans are making for Curry back then, that majority of fans dismissed.

ExpressionAlone5204 | Thunder

0 | 2 hours ago

You’re going solely on volume stats and ignoring efficiency, or the fact that SGA is doing it with more minutes.

Caruso is doing that on 24 minutes per game, versus SGA 38 minutes. Of course the volume numbers are going to be higher.

kman1030 | Heat

2 | 2 hours ago

Is your argument that playing more minutes is less valuable?

ExpressionAlone5204 | Thunder

2 | an hour ago

The coach chooses that. But if you’re scoring 31 points in 32 minutes shooting 57% / 57%, you did your job.

If someone gets played twice as much as you, yeah they should probably have more numbers.

And doing all this as not even the 6 man is something unheard of.

Pharmboy_Andy

2 | an hour ago

AC can not play more minutws.

His efficiency takes a nose dive after about 25 minutes per night.

Parallel-Quality

2 | an hour ago

It’s weird that a Thunder fan who has watched all the games hasn’t been able to clue into SGA’s impact.

Everything is centered around him. Look at the Spurs players on every offensive possession. All five guys gravitate towards him.

Even when they were “showing single coverage,” that was just an illusion to get him to try to take his man 1-on-1. They had help one step behind his guy and showed him two additional bodies immediately.

ExpressionAlone5204 | Thunder

1 | an hour ago

It’s obvious his impact. But he also has hurt his hand and is probably hiding an injury.

You can’t just say someone wins MVP for their gravity though, as much as that might even be true it’s never happened.

But for efficiency on volume? Yeah. It’s our two guys we couldn’t do it if they’re out.

Pterox511 | Raptors

4 | an hour ago

The (partly) same reason Caruso is shooting so damn well is the (partly) same reason SGA isnt. They’re helping off of one to shut down the other

Shai is basically their only consistent ball handler on the floor now and is by far their best playmaker, and neither of those things show up on box scores but have a huge impact on every possession

401john

5 | an hour ago

Feels like every game I watch the Spurs start off strong and build a little lead, then Caruso comes in and the lead is immediately cut in half lol

Swift_42690 | Knicks

2 | an hour ago

That’s cuz their dumbass scheme still leaves him wide open. Wemby is giving him way too much space and it’s biting them in the ass.

StichCarbo

3 | 2 hours ago

The 79.8% obviously isn’t sustainable but that kind of misses the bigger picture — it’s about him being in the right spots possession after possession. Caruso has always been that winning player archetype. The numbers just confirm what the eye test already told us about him.

johnfcknallen | Lakers

2 | 3 hours ago

My shayla

ChemicalPower9020 | Celtics

2 | 3 hours ago

Like TF is that shit haha. I hate OKC as much as the next guy but I honestly can’t be mad when fucking Caruso is playing so well. Better him than Shai. All you can do is shake you head

crimsonconnect | Knicks

2 | 2 hours ago

I think if you shoot bad enough it should just go from true shooting to false shooting percentage

at_midknight

2 | 2 hours ago

Unironically he’s been their best player this series

preddevils6 | Grizzlies

1 | 2 hours ago

Don’t look at his game 4 stats

at_midknight

1 | 2 hours ago

Wah he had one bad game. Dude has more than over performed the rest of the entire series. Shai has drastically underperformed all series long and a lot of these wins would be losses or blowouts if caruso isn’t playing the literal best basketball of his entire career

preddevils6 | Grizzlies

3 | 2 hours ago

He had one bad game out of 5 so far. You do see how that’s a lot right? The bad game wasn’t just bad, he had a 0/0.

Caruso is great. I’m not denying that. Shai deserves the award. He’s by far the biggest focal point of the spurs defense.

ExpressionAlone5204 | Thunder

0 | an hour ago

It’s not bad. He had a different role, and he knew it wasn’t to shoot. He’s the one person we have that will change completely from game to game. That’s not by accident or getting locked up, that’s the game plan.

preddevils6 | Grizzlies

0 | an hour ago

Yeah, if your role is to not shoot, especially when your star is attracting all of the defense, then you aren’t MVP.

Be great at your role, but you aren’t deserving of MVP.

Then-Response8324 | NBA

2 | an hour ago

he’ll win WCFMVP

ExpressionAlone5204 | Thunder

0 | an hour ago

Job not finished. Job finished? I don’t think so.

nomitycs | Warriors

2 | an hour ago

No other player in the top 10 has done it on so few minutes

TS% is a rate stat, it’s beneficial to play less minutes (less fatigue) if anything

Pharmboy_Andy

3 | 35 minutes ago

For those that think the reason is SGA and not what Alex Caruso brings here are two stats.

LeBron James highest net rating teammate, ever, is Alex Caruso during the 2019-2020 season at +18.x net rating in the regular season and 24.x in the playoffs.

SGAs best bet rating teammate ever is also AC.

What do these two pairings have in common - the sexual orca.

Obviously SGA and LeBron are just riding the bald eagles coat tails.

LeBron has also acknowledged he is the junior partner in the pairing calling AC “goat” after one of the 2020 finals games (or after the final game, I can’t remember exactly).

If LBJ is calling you the goat in your second season (and I think the first he wasn’t on a two way) then you can probably get WCF MVP.

No-Independence-761

1 | 2 hours ago

This is a Wemby indictment

ExpressionAlone5204 | Thunder

5 | 2 hours ago

Wemby is tall but the Bald Eagle is higher.

Daryl Morey was the highest though.

StJe1637

1 | 2 hours ago

Max him

majidLuv | Thunder

1 | an hour ago

KD and Steph both shooting 73%TS in the 2017 WCF is just unfair bro

Fishmike52 | Knicks

1 | 25 minutes ago

Just shows the importance of depth. It’s why the pacers went to the wire last year and why the Knicks are demolishing teams. There are no specialists. Everyone can play. Like 9 guys can handle the ball, score, defend and play many roles.

we repeatedly see teams exposed trying to hide a non scorer or non defender and you can’t.

axecalibur | CHI

1 | 7 minutes ago

He just had a game with 0 points on 0-1 shooting

chickmagn3t | Lakers

0 | 2 hours ago

Bro layed an egg in game 4 but to me he’s the WCF MVP lol

triassic_broth

-1 | 2 hours ago

But if he was ahead of Poole and Fisher then so what? This is not a prestigious list.

ExpressionAlone5204 | Thunder

6 | 2 hours ago

If you don’t think ‘22 Poole or ‘01 Fisher were good players, brother I don’t know what to tell ya

nex_eden

4 | an hour ago

i’m in love with fisher’s 61/75/33 shooting splits in the spurs series

ExpressionAlone5204 | Thunder

2 | an hour ago

That’s objectively hilarious

coincoincoins

5 | 2 hours ago

I mean it also implies that he was ahead of 2018 LeBron and 1993 Jordan. He’s ahead of literally every other player/season

ExpressionAlone5204 | Thunder

2 | an hour ago

Right? Kareem, Kobe, Bird, Shaq, whoever’s this is as hallowed ground as you can imagine.

Xc0liber | Lakers

-2 | 3 hours ago

Is amazing yes but remember, he did went 0/0 in a game.

Spemanz92 | Thunder

3 | 2 hours ago

Which didnt make his shooting percentages down. Goat

Otherwise_Music_7185

-5 | 2 hours ago

It’s sad the OKC fans don’t love them like they do with the homegrown guys. His jersey was selling like crazy in Chicago and I have never seen a Caruso jersey worn by a Thunder fan

TechnicalAd6932

4 | an hour ago

lol are you kidding? He is beloved in OKC. I know of 2 houses nearby that have 4ft color printed Caruso head signs in their lawns right now. He’s my nephews favorite player. In order of local favorites, my guess would be Shai then a tie between Chet and Caruso.

Spemanz92 | Thunder

1 | 2 hours ago

He is absolutely loved in OKC. But dont expect a team with 3 homegrown stars (1 of them an mvp caliber player) to give him the same amount of love.

Chicago was a mid team and he was basically their defensive engine and heart of the team. In okc his role simply isnt as big

WaltofWallstreet | Thunder

1 | an hour ago

What are you even talking about lmao

Alex Caruso currently has the highest TS% of any player shooting 8+ Fga per game in a Conference Finals