OKC Thunder's Alex Caruso Weighs in on Struggles Against Dallas Mavericks

The Oklahoma City Thunder has dropped five out of its last six games against the Dallas Mavericks, which has raised question marks on its ability to consistently beat them.

Dec 23, 2024; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder guard Alex Caruso (9) celebrates after his team scores against the Washington Wizards during the second quarter at Paycom Center. Mandatory Credit: Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images | Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images

Of the eight games that the Oklahoma City Thunder has lost in the regular season, three of those have come at the hands of the Dallas Mavericks.

It's the team that knocked Oklahoma City out of the Western Conference semifinals a season ago, and though Dallas didn't even have superstar Luka Doncic Thursday night, it still managed to escape with a 121-115 win.

Kyrie Irving called it the start of a "healthy rivalry" the last time the Mavericks knocked off the Thunder, and it's clear that both teams take a physical approach to each matchup. Oklahoma City had its own personnel out with injuries — including Isaiah Hartenstein and Isaiah Joe — but it doesn't make the loss any less frusturating.

Alex Caruso is only now getting a look against Dallas with the Thunder, as he was still with the Chicago Bulls last season. With three games already under his belt, however, he's already started to pick up on the intricacies of the matchup.

"There's a lot of emotion tied up into it on both sides," Caruso said. "Obviously, through the game, there's some history with them. Different matchups, different instances of guys being in pyhysical position. For me, it's just about trying to figure out how to help us manage that best. Because when we're locked in and we're doing our job at a high level, we're the best team in the world when we want to be."

Oklahoma City hasn't performed as the "best team in the world" against the Mavericks despite them only holding a middling 24-21 record this year. It's a cause for concern, especially since there's a possibility that they could match up with the Thunder as a No. 8 seed.

From now until the playoffs, the Thunder want to remain consistent against every opponent.

"But, too often, we're not consistently doing that," Caurso said. "And that's the difference between winning big and just winning."

If Oklahoma City meets Dallas again, it's going to be the playoffs. This time, the expectations are going to be even greater for the Thunder to move forward.

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