On Friday night, the OKC Thunder won a nail-biter against the Denver Nuggets in overtime. The playoff atmosphere was evident in a game that featured an ejection, cleared benches, and heightened emotions on both sides.
In short, it was the type of environment where bench player Alex Caruso thrives.
In a game where Oklahoma City mostly played from behind, the veteran's presence in the fourth quarter and in overtime was the clear deciding factor.
He completely took over in the final five minutes of the crucial fourth period, draining two monumental threes and spearheading multiple stops and steals on the defensive end, all while SGA went 1-for-5 from the floor and scored just four points.
While Gilgeous-Alexander sat out in overtime due to a minutes cap, Caruso continued to make his presence felt, as he registered a rebound, an assist, a steal, and a timely layup.
Alex Caruso's performance reminded Thunder of his rare superpower
Caruso's late-game heroics in such a competitive atmosphere may seem surprising at first. Afterall, he has averaged just 6.6 points per game this season. Most teams don't rely on their 13th-highest scorer to close out games.
That said, the 32-year-old is not your typical bench player.
Since arriving in OKC back in the summer of 2024, he has been an adrenaline shot in the arm in select situations.
The nature of those situations has highlighted a clear trend throughout Caruso's tenure with OKC: In a playoff environment, he is called upon to change the game.
It is obvious that OKC traded for Caruso for his experience in high pressure situations.
Having previously won a title with the Lakers, the veteran guard brought a competitive edge to a young team that had just fallen short of expectations the previous season.
During the Thunder's title run, Caruso's game-disrupting ability was on full display. He did everything the team needed him to do, be it registering multiple 20-point games or taking on the defensive assignment of future Hall-of-Fame Nikola Jokic down in the post.
His ability to flip a switch in high-pressure situations provided an immeasurable boost to the Thunder, helping them put them over the hump.
Now in his second year in the blue and orange, he is doing more of the same.
Thunder game plan for Alex Caruso this season has been clear
This season, the Thunder have clearly been saving their secret weapon for when it matters.
In games against teams currently holding a top-five seed, Caruso has averaged 23 minutes per game, compared to his season total of 18.5.
His points per game have jumped to 9.9 as he has consistently been called upon to play a more prominent role against better teams.
While OKC doesn't need to rely on the eighth-year veteran on a nightly basis, he serves as coach Mark Daigneault's ace in the hole when the team needs a boost.
With a repeat push incoming, Alex Caruso will surely be ready for whatever dirty work the Thunder might send his way.