OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) 鈥� Alex Caruso got asked after of the NBA Finals if he鈥檚 aware that he鈥檚 achieved a level of superhero-type status among fans of the Oklahoma City Thunder during this playoff run.
After all, having zero 20-point games in the regular season followed by two 鈥� and counting 鈥� in the against the Indiana Pacers tends to have an effect on people.
鈥淔or the superhero reference, we鈥檒l just do Robin because that鈥檚 the only one I can probably make some similarities to,鈥� Caruso said. 鈥淚鈥檝e got better players around me that are doing more.鈥�
That鈥檚 part of the Caruso story, and he鈥檚 just fine with that. He was part of the Los Angeles Lakers team 鈥� alongside a Batman in LeBron James 鈥� that won a title in the pandemic 鈥渂ubble鈥� in 2020. And he has helped this Thunder team 鈥� alongside another Batman in Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, the reigning MVP and scoring champion who slapped on his cape and 鈥� move within two wins of what would be his second championship.
He had 20 points against the Pacers in and 20 points again in a probably season-saving win in Game 4; it鈥檚 no coincidence that those are the in this series. And his Game 4 performance was historic; no player in finals history had ever had 20 points and five steals off the bench in a game during the title series.
Before Friday, that is, when he did just that.
鈥淗e鈥檚 a competitive monster, clearly,鈥� Thunder coach Mark Daigneault said. 鈥淗e鈥檚 proven that time and again over his career. Certainly in these playoffs 鈥� I can鈥檛 say enough about him as a competitor.鈥�
Caruso, 31, is the oldest player on the Thunder roster. And his teammates have no problem pointing out that he鈥檚 the wise sage of the team, the vet with a ring, the one you go to for advice on virtually any topic.
鈥淗e plays the game, he thinks the game and he鈥檚 also coaching the game all at the same time,鈥� forward Cason Wallace said. 鈥淗e鈥檚 always a few steps ahead.鈥�
Caruso鈥檚 is the quintessential story of bucking the odds. A four-star recruit out of high school, not drafted by any NBA team, and some coaches still lament letting him get away.
Among them: Rick Carlisle. Now the Indiana coach, Carlisle was with Dallas when the Mavericks brought Caruso 鈥� a Texas A&M guy 鈥� in for a workout. They didn鈥檛 even offer him a summer league deal.
Whoops.
鈥淪ome of these guys that go under the radar have that level of grit and determination that is able to get them to the league and to get them some longevity and high impact,鈥� Carlisle said.
James, even now, still calls Caruso 鈥渙ne of my favorite teammates of all time.鈥� The Thunder feel the same way about him, for obvious reasons.
Caruso doesn鈥檛 need to be Batman. Being a Robin is just fine with him.
鈥淚t just comes down to really wanting to win, being super competitive,鈥� Caruso said. 鈥淭hat鈥檚 why my career is the way it is. That鈥檚 why I鈥檝e had success. That鈥檚 why I鈥檓 still in the NBA. That鈥檚 why I鈥檓 here talking to you right now.鈥�
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AP NBA:
Tim Reynolds, The Associated Press
