OKC Thunder report card: Alex Caruso aces Recreation 3 vs Memphis Grizzlies in NBA Playoffs – The Oklahoman

The Thunder got here again from the useless in Recreation 3 towards the Grizzlies to win 114-108 in Memphis.
The Grizzlies led by as many as 29 factors within the first half Thursday, however the Thunder erased that lead for the second-biggest comeback in an NBA playoff game.
Saturday, Oklahoma Metropolis has an opportunity at a sequence sweep.
However earlier than we get to that, let’s get to the grades:
Unsure all these pluses are allowed, however Caruso deserves them after which some. The defensive stopper was magnificent once more in Recreation 3. He had 4 steals and one block, although it felt like 44 steals. He deflected passes and hounded ball handlers and usually made life depressing on the Grizzlies. 
Caruso added 10 factors, six rebounds and three assists.
That adopted on the heels of two different top-shelf performances by Caruso. He was plus-30 in Recreation 1 regardless of not taking a single shot, then in Recreation 2 he had 13 factors, 4 rebounds, three assists, three steals and one block.
He’s been a stat-stuffing, game-winning idiot to date in these playoffs.
You anticipate Ja Morant and Jaren Jackson Jr. to get their factors, however Scotty Pippen Jr. torched the Thunder within the first half. He hit 7 of 10 pictures from the ground, together with six from behind the arc.
And many occasions, the Thunder defender wasn’t inside a step of Pippen.
He acquired scorching, however the Thunder allowed him to remain scorching. Pippen completed the primary half with 23 factors.
As unhealthy because the Thunder was guarding Pippen within the first half, it was that good within the second half.
Now, a part of the equation was Ja Morant’s damage. Harm late within the first half, the Grizzlies star didn’t return, and that allowed the Thunder to re-allocate some defensive sources. The change was instantly noticeable within the second half. On the Grizzlies’ first possession after halftime, Pippen tried to get to the basket however was hounded right into a miss by Lu Dort.
Pippen’s frustration appeared to develop shortly; on a drive to the basket, he caught out his foot and related with Isaiah Hartenstein’s midsection. The foul was upgraded to a flagrant one. 
Then late, with the Thunder attempting to construct on a three-point lead, Pippen was nonetheless being hounded. This time, Caruso managed to get a hand on the ball and poke it free. The free ball in the end led to a soar ball that the Thunder gained on a Zach Edey foul. 
Pippen’s solely factors within the second half had been two third-quarter free throws and one fourth-quarter 3.
You marvel if Mark Daigneault ought to ban Shai Gilgeous-Alexander from the health club for a day. Make the MVP finalist go stroll round Beale Avenue, tour the Civil Rights Museum, eat at Central BBQ. As a result of proper now, it appears like SGA is in his personal head.
Certain, 10 of 26 taking pictures for 31 factors could be above common for plenty of gamers, however the usual that SGA has set is greater. 
And there have been some clangers.
Worst amongst them was a blown layup in transition with the Thunder attempting to finish its comeback within the fourth quarter. Had Caruso not been there to snag with ricochet and rating a putback, the miss may’ve haunted the Thunder.
SGA had indicators of breaking out of the funk that he’s been in, however we undoubtedly haven’t seen peak Scoring Shai in these playoffs but. 
The Thunder had some gamers in foul bother. Hartenstein. Dort. However most notable was SGA. He picked up his fifth foul with greater than 8 minutes left within the sport, and the Grizzlies went on the Thunder celebrity.
Repeatedly, they appeared to be looking him, attempting to place him in unhealthy conditions and get him to select up that sixth and disqualifying foul.
However SGA wasn’t baited. A time or two, he had to surrender one thing to keep away from a foul, however for essentially the most half, he performed strong protection and acquired stellar defensive assist from his teammates.
The rising star is quietly having an exceptional postseason. In Recreation 3, he scored 26 factors on 9-of-16 taking pictures, hitting 2 of 6 from behind the arc and 6 of 10 from the free-throw line.
Williams is averaging 23.3 factors within the sequence whereas taking pictures 56.9% from the ground.
It’s the sort of soar that appeared potential in his second postseason. Despite the fact that different people in Thunder blue have garnered extra headlines, Williams has been spectacularly regular.
The Thunder missed 10 free throws in Recreation 3. Yikes. 
4 of the misses got here within the closing 80 seconds of the sport. Double yikes.
Neither the late misses nor the 23-of-33 taking pictures from the road got here again to hang-out Oklahoma Metropolis, however that’s manner too many factors left on the desk within the playoffs. 
Regardless of the missed free throws late, the Thunder completed the sport on a 9-0 run, not permitting the Grizzlies to attain over the ultimate 4:51 of the sport.
How’d the Thunder do it?
It began with protection. The Thunder compelled the Grizzlies into 4 turnovers in that decisive stretch, but it surely additionally restricted their possibilities. Memphis managed just one offensive rebound.
On the opposite finish of the court docket, OKC discovered methods to get the job completed. It wasn’t essentially fairly on a regular basis. The Thunder missed three pictures from behind the arc, 4 free throws and had no offensive rebounds throughout that 9-0 run. Nevertheless it acquired a 3 from Chet Holmgren, a transition bucket from Caruso and sufficient made free throws to seal the deal.
In different phrases, OKC gritted it out.
Jenni Carlson: Jenni will be reached at jcarlson@oklahoman.com. Like her at fb.com/JenniCarlsonOK, observe her at @jennicarlsonok.bsky.social and twitter.com/jennicarlson_ok, and assist her work and that of different Oklahoman journalists by buying a digital subscription immediately.

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