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Game 1 of the Western Conference Finals between San Antonio and Oklahoma City is in the books, and before we jump to some conclusions and the best bet, I think we should all pause for a moment just to catch our collective breath.
Wow.
It was going to be difficult to live up to the expectations and expectations of this series. However, Game 1 not only lived up to it but in some ways surpassed it.
For the first time in 50 years, a Western Conference finals game went to double overtime, and the Spurs won 122-115 in an instant classic.
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The story of Game 1 was Spurs sensation Victor Wembanyama, who dominated with 41 points and 24 rebounds, including a long, clutch three-pointer to tie the game in the final seconds of the first overtime.
However, with Game 2 scheduled for Wednesday night in Oklahoma City, we have to turn our attention to the player who spent much of Game 1 defending Wembanyama. This player would have been the story if the Thunder had won, and might be worth a longshot bet to win MVP of this series.
That player is Alex Caruso.
Caruso is giving up about a foot in height to the towering Wembanyama, but he spent most of Game 1 bothering the Spurs big man, while scoring 31 points and hitting eight 3-pointers.
Thunder big men Chet Holmgren and Isiah Hartenstein appear ill-equipped to deal with Wembanyama, with Hartenstein playing just 12 of the 58 minutes, despite being a regular starter for the defending world champions all season.
In 2015, we saw Golden State Warriors forward Andre Iguodala win Finals MVP at similar odds and in similar fashion. Iguodala was rewarded with MVP honors in large part for his defense against LeBron James, and it’s possible that if the Thunder bounce back to win this series, voters could look to Caruso as the main reason.
Two-time MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander was just 7-for-23 in Game 1, while Chet Holmgren was held to just eight points. The path is there for Caruso to emerge as a series MVP candidate, and with odds of 100-1, it’s a bet worth making, even if it’s a small one.
CHOOSE: Alex Caruso (+10000) Western Conference Finals MVP
