Alex

Caruso

Saturday’s series finale will be the fourth consecutive game that Mitchell has missed since straining his right calf during Game 3 of the Western Conference Finals. Jalen Williams (hamstring) is also out for Game 7, which means the Thunder will once again lean heavily on Jared McCain. Alex Caruso and Isaiah Joe also have added importance due to the absences.

Caruso was one of several OKC players to bounce back from a rough Game 4. He displayed his usual defensive strength by leading the Thunder in steals, but his contributions on the offensive end as both a scorer and a facilitator were also critical, as has been the case for much of the series. The veteran two-time champion has scored at least 15 points and made three triples in all but one game during the Western Conference Finals matchup. He’s rising to the occasion on both ends of the floor and has helped position his team for a closeout game on Thursday.

With Jalen Williams (hamstring) and Ajay Mitchell (calf) unavailable, the Thunder turned to Wallace to fill the resulting void in the starting lineup. He struggled with his shot in Game 4, but the third-year guard wasn’t the only one who failed to show up. Jared McCain (four points, two rebounds) shot 1-of-10 from the field and Alex Caruso (two rebounds, one assist and two blocks) missed his lone shot attempt. Regardless of what happens with J-Dub and Mitchell for Tuesday’s Game 5, the Thunder need more from Wallace, McCain and Caruso if they’re to defend home court.

Caruso followed a hot three-point shooting Game 1 with another on Wednesday, as he connected on 75 percent of looks from beyond the arc. The veteran guard also hurt San Antonio’s defense as a playmaker, doing so without committing a turnover. The sharp shooting and savvy playmaking were complemented by sound defense on the other end. As a result, he led the Thunder in plus-minus (+18) and had a massive part in evening up the series at one game apiece.

Over the last few years, Caruso has been at his best when the stakes are the highest. That held true in the first game of the Western Conference Finals, as he had the best offensive performance of his playoff career. He set new playoff career highs for both points and three-pointers while making Victor Wembanyama’s life difficult on the other end of the floor. Even if it doesn’t show up in the box score during the regular season, Caruso is one of the most impactful players in this series, and they’ll need him to continue to play at a high level to get back to the NBA Finals. However, there likely won’t be more 30-point games in his future.

Jay Dub will be out for at least a week as the Thunder head to Phoenix. His absence means that Cason Wallace, Alex Caruso and Aaron Wiggins could all see additional run.

With nothing on the line in Sunday’s game, the Thunder are once again resting their rotation player of note, save Luguentz Dort, Aaron Wiggins and Jared McCain. Dort only played 20 minutes in Friday’s loss to the Nuggets; look for him to take on a similar workload on Sunday. Wiggins, McCain and Nikola Topić should remain in the starting lineup.

Williams and Caruso are several key Thunder players who will miss Friday’s game, as the Thunder have officially clinched homecourt advantage throughout the postseason. The roster runs deep; guys like Aaron Wiggins and Jared McCain could see an increased workload against Denver.

Caruso and Dort participated in Saturday’s practice and have been removed from the injury report for Sunday. They’ll take on their usual roles against the Jazz; Dort will start, with Caruso providing depth off the bench.

Caruso did not play in Thursday’s win over the Lakers, while Dort injured his back during the third quarter and did not return. Their ability to practice is certainly encouraging, with the Thunder facing the Jazz on Sunday.