The Oklahoma City Thunder have a new Big Three, and AT&T might want to re-think its commercial.
Warriors forward Draymond Green broke down Oklahoma City’s win over the Indiana Pacers in Game 2 of the NBA Finals on the latest episode of his podcast, “The Draymond Green Show With Baron Davis,” and explained why veteran guard Alex Caruso, not young center Chet Holmgren, is the Thunder’s third-most-important player behind his undisputed No. 1 and No. 2 options, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Jalen Williams.
“When I look at this OKC team, I actually think the third-most-important player is Alex Caruso …. I think Caruso is so important to what they do and I feel like you never game plan for him,” Green said. “So because you don’t game plan for him, he comes into these Finals and he goes crazy. But the reality is, he’s a champion, so he actually knows what to expect.”
Green believes the Pacers ultimately need to prioritize stopping a proven player like Caruso over an unproven player like Holmgren.
“If I’m an opposing coach, I’m saying ‘Caruso’s been in this moment, he’s shown us over and over again he can deliver in this moment, I’m going to make him so important to our game plan,” Green explained. “I’m going to make less of an importance in our game plan to the guy who hasn’t done it’ …
“Place that bet on the guy that hasn’t done it, and Chet hasn’t done it. I know Caruso can beat me, he’s shown he can beat me at several different points. Back then when he won a championship he showed you he can beat you. So I’m just not sure that would be the bet that I would be making.”
In 54 regular-season games, Caruso averaged 7.1 points, 2.9 rebounds, 2.5 assists and 1.6 steals per game on 44.6-percent shooting from the field and 35.3 percent from 3-point range. In 18 playoff games this year, the 31-year-old is averaging 9.6 points, 2.6 rebounds, 2.4 assists and 1.7 steals per game on 46-percent shooting from the field and 41.6 percent from 3-point range while being one of Oklahoma City’s most consistent two-way players.
“He’s so important to everything they do,” Green added. “Defensively, he’s so important to everything they do. Offensively, he can be another guy that can handle the ball that’s smart, that makes decisions, that’s going to shoot the right shots, not take the wrong shots.”
If there’s one player who knows how important steady two-way play in the Finals is, it’s Green, who, similarly to Caruso, might not be the Warriors’ third-highest scorer on any given night but, without a doubt, was, at least, the third-most-important player during Golden State’s dynastic run.
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