The maximum favorite to raise the NBA title, los Oklahoma City Thunderthey are taking giant steps to be in the grand final. One of the keys to the success of this team is the defensive section and several actions of Alex Caruso During the playoffs they have given much to talk among the American league fans.
In the first game of the West Conference final between The Thunder and the Timberwolvesthe great virtue of those of Oklahoma was more than demonstrated. His rival could only write down 88 points, which made much easier that they could add the first point of the tie. In fact, they did it in a bulky way: A difference of 26 points.
“Defense is our superpower,” he said Caruso during the playoffs. “When we concentrate on this side of the track, we are an unstoppable force.” A player that has been talked about long after the first game, to 'dry' the star of the Timberwolves: Anthony Edwards.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Oklahoma City Thunder, NBA MVP in the 2024-25 season / NBA
In fact, Edwards made the worst individual playoffs And part of guilt is Caruso. The Tejano did not allow the Timberwolves player to launch from the outside on several plays. The result was that Edwards alone He scored 18 points and did not distribute more than three assists. Numbers much lower than the usual ones of the American.
The own Caruso It was one of the two signings of the Thunder last summer. The escort was part of the defensive team of the year both in 2023 and 2024 And this season has helped Thunder deploy one of the most dominant defenses on the track of the recent NBA history.
Alex Caruso, one of Oklahoma City Thunder / AP
In fact, The Thunder ended the regular season as the best defense of the competitionwith a defensive ratio of 106.6 points embedded by every hundred possessions, a figure that has fallen further in the playoffs, being below 100. Logically, in the qualifiers they also repeat throne.
“We have no weak point”
“We really have no weak point. When your stars play at such a high defensive level, everyone has to be concentrated. Just seeing your best players making those sacrifices (Shai Gilgeous-Alexander y Jalen Williams), everyone has to commit. So I think it starts with them and then everyone else is, “said Isaiah Hartenstein, Thunder player.
When Thunder They send a second defender, they seek more to harass than to help. It is a controlled chaospossible thanks to precise planning of the game and constant communication. When Oklahoma City's defense is at his best, the rivals do not know what awaits them. And that's why they are the best NBA team, especially at the defensive level.
