Here are the top 10 performances by Alex Caruso during the OKC Thunder's 2024-25 championship run.
When OKC traded for Alex Caruso last summer, he was viewed by many people as the missing piece.
Caruso was an NBA champion (with the Lakers in 2020), which no one on the young Thunder could also claim to be. Neither could the entire franchise, but the hope was that his veteran leadership would help OKC reach that elusive title.
It turns out Caruso was as good as advertised, if not better.
In just one season, the 31-year-old guard established himself as one of the most beloved players in franchise history. He embodied the Thunder's culture with his bruising, blue-collar brand of basketball, and he played a key role in its 2024-25 NBA championship run.
Here are the top 10 performances by Caruso last season:
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Top 10 Alex Caruso games during OKC Thunder's 2024-25 season
10. Caruso helps OKC defeat Phoenix in rare start (April 9)
Stat line: 19 points, five steals and five rebounds
Spoiler alert: This is the only non-playoff game on the list. Yes, Caruso elevated his game that much in the postseason.
Still, his regular-season performance in OKC's 125-112 road win over Phoenix deserves some recognition. Caruso got the starting nod for just the third time all season and posted 19 points, five steals and five rebounds in 27 minutes.
Funny enough, this was Caruso's final appearance of the regular season. It served as a sneak peak of what was to come in the playoffs.
9. Caruso goes into playoff mode during OKC's Game 3 win over Memphis (April 24)
Stat line: 10 points, six rebounds and four steals
Caruso officially activated playoff mode during Game 3 of OKC's first-round series against Memphis.
He helped the Thunder erase a 29-point deficit in a 114-108 road win. That marked the second-largest comeback in NBA postseason history since play-by-play data began being recorded in the 1996-97 season.
Caruso battled for six rebounds, including two offensive boards. He swarmed passing lanes to record four steals. And he either scored or assisted on eight of the last 13 points for OKC, which claimed a commanding 3-0 series lead.
8. Caruso plays season-high 33 minutes as OKC holds off Minnesota for Game 4 win (May 26)
Stat line: 10 points, two steals and two rebounds
After falling behind 2-0 in the Western Conference Finals, Minnesota claimed a dominant Game 3 win over OKC. And momentum shifted even more when the Timberwolves threatened to win Game 4 as well.
But OKC regained control, and the young group leaned on its veteran guard.
Caruso played a season-high 33 minutes off the bench and finished with 10 points, two steals and two rebounds. His defensive intensity and timely buckets were crucial in OKC's 128-126 road win, which gave the team a 3-1 series lead.
7. Caruso energizes OKC in Game 1 Finals loss to Indiana (June 5)
Stat line: 11 points, six rebounds and three steals
Caruso was OKC's only player with championship experience, and that showed during Game 1 of the NBA Finals.
Caruso set the tone defensively as soon as he checked in for the first time midway through the opening quarter. He recorded two blocks within the next four minutes, and he even drilled his lone 3-pointer of the night during that stretch.
Caruso finished with a strong stat line of 11 points, six rebounds and three steals. Unfortunately, the performance was overshadowed by Indiana's late comeback to secure a 111-110 road win.
6. Caruso, OKC's bench shine in Game 4 win over Denver (May 11)
Stat line: 10 points, four rebounds and two assists
A total of 285 teams have fallen behind 3-1 in a playoff series throughout league history, and only 13 of them (4.4%) have completed the comeback.
That's the uphill battle OKC would've faced if it lost Game 4 of its second-round series against Denver. But the Thunder evened the series at 2-2 with a 92-87 road win on a night when three of its bench players scored double-digit points.
One of those guys was Caruso. He scored 10 points on 2-for-5 shooting from deep and also added four rebounds and two assists.
5. Caruso helps OKC contain Nikola Jokic in Game 7 win over Denver (May 18)
Stat line: 11 points, three steals and three assists
OKC went 68-14 during the regular season, setting the NBA record for point differential (12.9).
But none of that would've mattered if OKC lost Game 7 against Denver. And, to no surprise, Caruso left it all out on the floor.
The 6-foot-5 guard finished with 11 points, three steals and three assists in a 125-93 home win, and he spent plenty of time defending 6-11 center Nikola Jokic. He was held to 20 points on 5-for-9 shooting from the field (1 for 2 from deep).
4. Caruso delivers in OKC's Game 7 Finals win over Indiana (June 22)
Stat line: 10 points, three steals and three rebounds
After a grueling playoff run that lasted over two months, OKC's championship hopes came down to a Game 7 against Indiana.
Caruso provided exactly what the Thunder needed throughout the biggest game in franchise history. He harassed the Pacers' offense by recording four combined steals and blocks, and he connected on two of his five 3-point attempts.
Caruso finished with 10 points, three steals and three rebounds in 32 minutes, which was only one minute shy of tying his season high. OKC earned a 103-91 home win, securing its first championship and Caruso's second.
3. Caruso does it all in OKC's Game 1 loss to Denver (May 5)
Stat line: 20 points, six assists and five steals
The stat sheet rarely shows Caruso's full impact, but it did in Game 1 against Denver.
Caruso erupted for a season-high 20 points on 7-for-12 shooting from the field (5 for 9 from deep). He also tied for season highs of six assists and five steals.
Caruso shined in every way imaginable But, just like his outing in the Game 1 loss to Indiana, it was overshadowed by Denver's late comeback to earn a 121-119 road win.
2. Caruso shows out in OKC's Game 2 Finals win over Indiana (June 8)
Stat line: 20 points, three rebounds and one assist
The series had just started, but Game 2 of the Finals already felt like a must-win situation for OKC. If it lost, the Thunder would've trailed 2-0 entering back-to-back road games.
Fortunately, OKC received a heroic performance from Caruso. The second-unit Superman scored 20 points on 6-for-11 shooting from the field (4 for 8 from deep), and he added three rebounds and one assist.
Caruso, known for his disruptive defense, was OKC's second-leading scorer behind Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. That helped the Thunder even the series at 1-1 with a 123-107 home win.
1. Caruso helps OKC preserve its title hopes in Game 4 Finals win over Indiana (June 13)
Stat line: 20 points, five steals and three rebounds
If you haven't already noticed the trend, this was yet another must-win game for OKC. And Caruso played his best basketball yet again.
Trailing 2-1 in the series, OKC earned a 111-104 road win in Game 4. Caruso scored 20 points on 7-for-9 shooting from the field (1 for 2 from deep), and his defense was equally impressive.
This game tops a long list of elite postseason performances by Caruso, who stepped up every time OKC needed him during its championship run.
This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Alex Caruso stats: OKC Thunder guard's top 10 games on NBA title run
Category: Basketball
