Thunder’s Rotation Needs a Massive Overhaul

After over a week of rest and taking on a Denver team that had one day of rest, this first game for the Thunder should be an easy win.

This was far from the case, as Oklahoma City lost this game 121-119.

Some players looked great, like Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Alex Caruso .

Others, not so much.

This raises a question: Is it time to switch up the starting five? Lets explore why some rotation changes are needed for the Thunder.

Thunders Rotation Needs a Massive Overhaul It has been a common theme that certain players get streaky or cold against different teams.

Luguentz Dort was cold against the Grizzlies, and so was Shai.

Now, the Thunder are seeing something similar with a starter and a role player.

Mark Daigneault needs to do something about the rotation in what is sure to be a crucial Game 2 .

Alex Caruso Becoming a Starter It is finally time to bust out the secret weapon .

The Thunder must break the glass and put Alex Caruso in the starting five.

He had a stellar game, racking up five steals and two blocks.

He was a defensive pest, causing havoc every time he was on the court.

Anytime he was on the court, the Thunder always had the upper hand.

We need a defensive stop; Caruso was there.

Need a rebound? Just call Caruso to save the day.

He was also lights out from the field, looking unconscious.

The veteran finished his night with 20 points, the second highest on the squad, and went 5-of-9 from long range.

Even though it is just the second round, Caruso has shown to be the difference-maker this postseason.

Now, he must be a starter to see his work fully.

In with Wiggins, Out with Joe Both Aaron Wiggins and Isaiah Joe are great role players on outstanding contracts.

One player has struggled in the playoffs, and the other has not.

Joe has been streaky from deep and looks off at times.

Wiggins will get a bucket and can even play good defense when asked to.

Both played nearly the same minutes, with Wiggins getting 14 and Joe 13, yet Wiggins was the better.

Wiggins finished with a plus 19, whereas Joe finished with a 0 for his plus/minus that night.

Neither scored much, but that came down to defense.

Wiggins is the better defender and all-around scorer.

Yes, Joe can hit the three-ball, but what is the point if he is cold that night? It may be time to allocate some minutes to give Wiggins more time and Joe less.

Jalen Williams played 38 minutes in the first game.

Mark Daigneault could have allocated six of those minutes to Wiggins and used his defensive play and playmaking ability to try and go on a run.

This is a rotation adjustment that could be seen instantly in Game 2.

Ride the Hot Hand This is the final adjustment.

It is simple, yet it was not used to its fullest.

The two players who were hot against Denver were Shai and Caruso.

Instead of getting them more shots, Williams shot it more.

Williams went 5-of-20 from the field and 2-for-9 from deep.

He was having a bad night.

Instead of passing it to guys making shots, he tried shooting out of the slump.

Dort shot well from three in this game; Jalen could have run plays to get Dort open for three-pointers.

The same could be said for getting shots for Caruso.

This is just a simple fix, and Thunder fans could see all three of these suggestions come true on Wednesday night.

Whatever the case, the Thunder have to change their rotation if they want to make an NBA Finals run.

This article first appeared on Last Word On Sports and was syndicated with permission..

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