Oklahoma City Thunder veteran guard Alex Caruso has elevated his play through four NBA Finals outings against the Indiana Pacers. Ahead of Monday’s pivotal Game 5 home matchup, his superstar teammate Shai Gilgeous-Alexander reflected on his immense impact.
With the young Thunder seeking to cap off their dominant 68-win season with a championship, Caruso’s title experience and hustle plays were expected to be critical during the finals. However, the defensive-minded eight-year pro, who averaged just 7.1 points per game in 19.3 minutes a night during the regular season, has also stepped up offensively.
After not reaching the 20-point mark once during the regular season, Caruso has scored 20 points in two of four finals contests and three playoff games overall. Meanwhile, his playing time continues to increase, as he logged 30-plus minutes in Games 3 and 4 after previously doing so only twice since being acquired by OKC last offseason.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander on Alex Caruso’s Influence on Thunder’s Title Pursuit
At Sunday’s practice, Gilgeous-Alexander was asked about Caruso flourishing with an increased workload and how his finals production has “made things easier” for OKC.
The 2025 MVP lauded Caruso’s competitiveness, positional versatility and high-IQ, team-first play style.
“Yeah, he is a gamer. You plug him in anywhere, any lineup, feels like any group, he makes a difference,” Gilgeous-Alexander said. “Makes everyone else around him better. He is always talking. He always knows where we’re supposed to be, where the other team is supposed to be.”
Gilgeous-Alexander added that the 31-year-old brings unteachable intangibles to the table that contribute to winning on a nightly basis.
Welcome to the Carushow
Alex Caruso becomes the first player in NBA history to have two 20-point games in an NBA Finals after having ZERO in the regular season pic.twitter.com/TABdgwlmvL
— NBA on ESPN (@ESPNNBA) June 14, 2025
“He has instincts that are special. I don’t think you can teach things like that,” Gilgeous-Alexander said. “He just knows where the ball is going, where a rebound is bouncing to, how to get a deflection, timely steals. He just has amazing feel for the game and is an insane competitor. I think you add those two things together and no matter where you drop him in the world, any basketball game, he is going to make a difference.”
Through four finals outings, Caruso is averaging 14.8 points, 4.3 rebounds, 1.8 assists, 2.5 steals, 0.8 blocks and 2.0 3-pointers per game on blistering 54.5/50.0/83.3 shooting splits. He ranks third on the Thunder in scoring, providing a much-needed offensive spark against a deep Pacers squad.
Gilgeous-Alexander on Fatigue Amid Young Thunder’s First NBA Finals Run
During Sunday’s interview, Gilgeous-Alexander also touched on the mental and physical fatigue of dealing with the ups and downs of OKC’s young core’s first finals run. With Caruso being the only player on the team with title experience, this year’s finals mark uncharted territory for nearly the entire team.
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“It’s a lot of games. It’s tiring, for sure. But every game is tiring,” Gilgeous-Alexander said. “When you’re giving your all, every possession, you’re going to be tired. I don’t think I’m the only one out there that is tired. But yeah, it’s something new. Something new for a lot of us, and a lot of us haven’t been this late into the season.”
However, the three-time All-Star noted that the experience has “been very fun” and “everything [he] dreamt it to be growing up.”
The Thunder will aim to take a 3-2 series lead and move within one win of a championship during Monday’s Game 5 home tilt.
