Thread by @Mike_Jagacki

Alex Caruso vs. Nikola Jokic.
100 pounds. 6 inches. A matchup few believed in.

But last night, Caruso delivered a defensive masterclass, making it nearly impossible for Jokic to even get the ball.

Here’s how he did it — play by play. 🧵

Before we even get to that key matchup, Caruso comes in when the Thunder are already in a hole and he doesn't take long to make his presence felt! Suffocates Braun in the corner, smothering his pivot and killing his vision.

OKC puts Caruso on Jokic and for the next 3 plays Denver can't even get the ball to him. Caruso fronting, grappling with the seal hand, and jamming Jokic's movement

DEN finally gets the ball to Jokic at the elbow but Chet comes to immediately double. Jokic finds a cutting Westbrook but OKC is loaded up in the paint. Play resets on perimeter with Jokic - but that's where Caruso has the advantage in speed and pressure. Gets the first swipe clean then Jokic tries to draw a foul and has to pass out

Early jam before Jokic can even get ball side. As ball moves, Caruso goes to a front and impedes Jokic's movement to the ball side block again. Caruso is entitled to his space and Jokic can't seem to swim around him. Westbrook hits a 3 in the meantime...

Denver gets a switch with SGA, but Caruso immediately scrambles back to the matchup as the ball moves. Fronting again and Braun has to look the other way. Westbrook tries to throw a far post entry but the battling in the post that Jokic is having to do doesn't allow him to disengage and secure the pass

Caruso plays DB here as he jams Jokic at half court. Now Jokic has to make a play with a live dribble vs Caruso with 5 seconds. Advantage Caruso as Jokic has to protect the ball and go to a fading long 2

Caruso goes for his patented outside shoulder steal and miss it on the elbow entry. Repositions to take the back down dribbles. OKC shows help, Jokic kicks out, and the box out by Caruso secures the out-of-bounds call

The matchup wasn't always in Caruso's favor. Here Jokic overpowers Caruso and Chet on the back down spin through contact. Its just been so hard to get the ball to Jokic or have the spacing to attack 1v1

This play shows how much OKC values the matchup of Caruso on Jokic. Braun uses Jokic as a screener, and OKC rather Chet have to navigate the screen and get back to Braun than switch out and put Chet on Jokic. Willing to give up this 3

This is the most viral clip of the battle. Caruso fronting like crazy - reminds me of the old battles of Rodman or Pippen fronting elite post players. If you want your players to front, it's not just about position, its about physicality

The battle has been so physical that Jokic decides he's had enough and just falls over to get a call

Caruso "cheats the play" (a phrase I never use in practice, because this is what I want our defenders to do when they know a play is coming). Caruso beats the cross screen, then shocks Murray on the switch - forcing him backwards, stays active and almost makes a rotation steal

Switching is not easy! When done right, this is what switching a ball screen looks like. Caruso shocks the ball handler again, Murray, takes away his vision of the play completely. Murray finally gets his eyes up to see Jokic sealing but hasn't seen the swarm of OKC waiting behind him

Beautiful job here as Caruso pulls the chair on the post entry. Jokic initiates contact twice vs Caruso and on the third time, avoids it, gets to the outside shoulder and steals the entry! The delicate balance of giving back physicality and taking it away

Even right out of half, OKC's pressure still discombobulating DEN as Jokic and Murray collide trying to set a simple wing ball screen. Defensive pressure at its finest

The secret we haven't talked about yet is the on ball pressure from OKC. It would be easy to swing the ball around and throw perfect post entries to an out of position Caruso, but the ball pressure - the discipline to trace and heat up the ball, that's been a key piece in this matchups success

Caruso not letting Jokic get anywhere easy on the court. Blitzes Murray and Wallace right there on the rotation to spear through the catch

Again the dance of being physical in the post but also avoiding contact to swim around, this is AP stuff from Caruso. The fronting position also allows Caruso to peel off and take drivers and is constantly able to get back to the matchup as the ball moves. Plus the box outs

The nail in the coffin - right before DEN waves the white flag. Cause strips Jokic as he tries to imitate the offense in pick and roll.

Alex Caruso took on a 2x MVP, giving up 100 pounds and 6 inches.

But last night, he was the one dictating terms.
– Physical but smart
– Slippery but strong
– Disrupting Jokic’s rhythm from start to finish

OKC is moving on — and Caruso was the MVP on defense.

A lot of people will point to missed calls.
But here’s the thing — Caruso wasn’t reckless. He was calculated.

Feet moving, chest to chest, winning & holding spots.
Playing right to the line without crossing it in the refs eyes - and that's all that matters in a game.

That’s high IQ defense.