Following an injury-induced absence that spanned 10 games and roughly three weeks, Alex Caruso (hip) finally returned to the OKC Thunder rotation Tuesday night in a road tilt against the Philadelphia 76ers.
On the heels of two straight wins and because they were taking on the cellar dweller Sixers, it's safe to say that Oklahoma City didn't necessarily need to be at, or anywhere near full strength to wrap up their four-game East Coast trip on a positive note.
And while their double-digit, 118-102 triumph may only further strengthen this sentiment, getting a guy like Caruso back into the swing of things, even for a mere 18 minutes of action, was undeniably important to the franchise. As highlighted by superstar Shai Gilgeous-Alexander during his postgame presser, the veteran provides a ton of intangibles to this title-hungry rotation.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander opens up on impact Alex Caruso has on Thunder
Though acknowledging that the Thunder have "so many guys that can fill in and plug-in spots" when needed, the abilities that Caruso brings to the court are incredibly valuable and unique to this team's scheme.
"He obviously has a skill defensively. Adding that layer to us only makes us better defensively. He is very good at the point of attack, in the shell, reading the next play. When he steps on the floor he changes the game," Gilgeous-Alexander said.
Despite being limited and showing obvious signs of rust on the hardwood, the veteran still served as a key cog in the club's on-court scheme and showcased this high-end defensive production that Gilgeous-Alexander boasted about during his presser.
Glowing with his typical brand of toughness and physicality throughout, the 30-year-old finished the night off with 2 steals and a block.
Though his offensive game throughout the season has been and, on Tuesday, was once again quite underwhelming (just 3 points on 1-for-4 shooting from the floor), the impact he provides this team when active is, as Shai described it, something that "changes the game" for them.
So far into his debut campaign with the Thunder, Alex Caruso is tied for first on the team in defensive rating (99) and ranks fifth in box plus-minus (+1.9) out of those who have played in 20 or more games in 2024-25.
While he may not be blowing anyone away with his per-game statistics of 5.5 points, 2.5 assists, 2.9 rebounds, and 1.9 steals, it is well understood from both the eye test and advanced metrics just how much of an impact the veteran has on this OKC squad when on the floor, and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander couldn't help but make note of this even after his own monstrous, 32-point performance.
The superstar, along with the entirety of this Thunder team is undoubtedly glad to have the eighth-year pro back in the fold!