Caruso: My task is to limit the opponent s score regardless of likes or dislikes, and I don t have time to consider whether I m tired or not

May 21st News The Western Conference Finals started today. Thunder guard Alex Caruso may face Timberwolves forward Julius Randle in the Western Conference Finals after he takes charge of defending Nikola Jokic in the Western Conference Semi-Finals.

In response, Caruso gave a frank response, saying: "If you like it or not, this is my job, and my task is to limit the opponent's score. Whether it is to let me fight against a 300-pound big man or chasing the outside players around the screen, I have to do it as long as the game requires it."

Statistics show that although there are defensive players like Lugentz Dort and Chet Homgren in the Thunder, Caruso's figure is almost everywhere. He is not only a top defender, but also a rhythm controller on the defensive end. The regular season counterattack player hits only 39.3%, the lowest in the league; the Thunder's net efficiency value increased from +6.8 to +21.2 when he was on the court; the playoffs individual defensive efficiency ranked second in the league.

Judging from his performance in defense of Jokic, Caruso will do anything for the team. Moreover, his role is far more than one-on-one defense. He would break the pass route and go around the center to interfere. He will also use the "front top" defense, making the opponent's low-post singles more difficult. These details are just the tip of the iceberg of Caruso's defensive influence.

While talking about whether we are tired of playing like this, Caruso said: "To be honest, we don't have time to worry about whether we are tired now. We have 8 games to win the championship and are only 4 games away from entering the finals."