Experience in the NBA Finals is often essential to success — and that’s exactly why Alex Caruso has become such a critical piece of the Oklahoma City Thunder’s postseason run. In Friday night’s 111–104 win over the Indiana Pacers to tie the series at 2–2, the defensive-minded veteran — who once spent time in the G League with the Oklahoma City Blue — delivered once again, this time with added punch on the offensive end.
After averaging just 7.1 points per game during the regular season, Caruso made NBA history in Game 4, becoming the first player ever to record multiple 20-point games in the Finals after posting none in the regular season, according to ESPN. He also scored 20 in Oklahoma City’s Game 2 win last Sunday.
Caruso is one of just two players in this series with prior NBA Finals experience, joining Pacers forward Pascal Siakam. Caruso won an NBA title with the Los Angeles Lakers in the 2020 bubble, while Siakam was part of the Toronto Raptors‘ championship run in 2019.
Caruso, 31, has embraced a veteran leadership role and become something of a steadying force — even a superhero sidekick — for the Thunder, the youngest team in the NBA entering the season.
“We’ll just do Robin because that’s the only one I can probably make some similarities to, because I got better players around me that are doing more,” Caruso said postgame. “I want to win. I don’t care if it’s pickup in September before training camp. I don’t care if it’s Game 45, 50, before All-Star break. If it’s the Finals and you’re down 2-1, I want to win. That’s what I’m focused on.”
Caruso is averaging 10 more minutes per game in these Finals (29.3) than in the regular season (19.3), and his impact has been felt throughout the postseason. The Thunder have an 8-3 record in games where Caruso scores double digits in the playoffs.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander ‘flips the switch’ in historic fourth quarter as OKC wins Game 4 the hard way
James Herbert
Caruso leads Oklahoma City in field goal percentage (54.5%) among qualified players (minimum three attempts per game) in the NBA Finals.
“He’s a competitive monster clearly,” Thunder coach Mark Daigneault said postgame. “He’s proven that time and again over his career. Certainly in these playoffs. He was huge tonight. Offensively even early in the game. But yeah, both ends, help on ball. I can’t say enough about him as a competitor.”
With the series tied 2-2 heading back to Oklahoma City, it’s now a best-of-three showdown. The Thunder haven’t lost back-to-back games all playoffs, boasting a 6-0 postseason record after a loss and an overall 18-2 mark this season.
