If there is a way to describe the Oklahoma City Thunder on Saturday, it has to be ‘helpless’. A 42-point deficit sounds unreal given how dominant they’ve been this season. But then Anthony Edwards and Julius Randle rose to the occasion. They added a combined 54 points in their 143-101 win against OKC. Meanwhile, Chris Finch’s surprise element, Terrence Shannon Jr., emerged as an out-of-syllabus question for the West’s first seed. And no, ‘Jokic Stopper’ Alex Caruso, too, wasn’t effective at all.

Playing for 10 minutes, Caruso had 3 points, with no rebounds or assists to offer to his team. And while the Minnesota Timberwolves grilled his team, caught in the storm of a heated showdown, Alex wasn’t just battling a ruthless rival — he was waging war against the very whistles meant to keep the game fair.

The Timberwolves stormed onto their home court in Game 3 with fire in their eyes and the weight of survival on their shoulders. The crowd roared. The stakes soared. Yet amid the chaos, Alex Caruso stole the spotlight for all the wrong reasons.

Whistle after whistle followed him like a curse. As frustration grew, so did Minnesota’s grit. After the game, reporters asked the 31-year-old about the physicality allowed against the Timberwolves. “I don’t know,” Alex Caruso stated bluntly. “That’s kinda a subjective question. For me, I try to go out there and play the same way every night. Whether the refs call it or not, that’s kinda up to them.”

After a foul trouble in game 2, Caruso picked up 2 on Saturday before moving to the bench for most of the second half. For someone known to get away with the fouls, the past few games hardly felt like it. Even Chris Hine of the Star Tribune chimed in to note the observation. “Officials so far in this series not letting Alex Caruso get away with all the handsy stuff,” he agreed. But clearly, Caruso isn’t letting any of that effect his game.

Because it is his energy that keeps him going. It is his energy that encourages the team and on a night like Saturday’s when the shots aren’t falling, it is the pesky defense they can count on. The referee call will dance on the edge of control and chaos, either smothering momentum or allowing raw competition to breathe, but Caruso has decided he will keep going. “I’m allowed to just be myself,” he had said after the 125-93 win over Denver. “That’s where I thrive, going out there and play my game, which has gotten me to this point.” 

So game 3 for him, marked a night of relentless battles. Moreover, the fallout sparked a fiery resolve now trailing both sides into the next clash. But ahead of Game 4, Caruso’s concerning words could turn into a reflection of the OKC mindset. And that could be troubling for them if Chris Finch & Co. read the patterns and ace their ‘familiarity’ card against the Thunder.

Alex Caruso gives honest yet concerning insight into OKC’s condition

Caruso boldly acknowledged the Oklahoma City Thunder‘s collapse in Game 3 at Target Center. He highlighted a crucial contrast: the Timberwolves entered the game with desperation and urgency, knowing a loss could be disastrous. They played like it. Their intensity was unmatched, and it translated into a 42-point demolition. Meanwhile, OKC seemed flat, almost complacent.

Thus, Alex Caruso said, “I think they were playing for their lives, and we didn’t come out with the right mindset. Even then, we had a chance to course-correct and didn’t do it quick enough.”

Well, there could be a slight possibility that the Thunder might have underestimated the Minnesota Timberwolves‘ fighting spirit. More importantly, even when they sensed things spiraling, they didn’t adjust in time. The result? A blowout loss that exposed not just their game plan but also their mental preparedness.

Game 3 slapped OKC with a dose of brutal honesty they never saw coming. The Timberwolves played with desperation, while the Thunder barely showed urgency. As a result, what followed was a collapse too loud to ignore. Alex Caruso’s words cut deep, hinting at cracks in the mindset and missed opportunities. Now, with the fire lit under Minnesota, OKC must either match the heat or get burned again.