The Oklahoma City Thunder made NBA history this year, capping off a phenomenal season with a thrilling 103-91 Game 7 victory over the Indiana Pacers in the Finals. The franchise dominated from start to finish, securing their first Larry O’Brien Trophy since moving from Seattle. With a roster stacked with young stars and led by Finals MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, the Thunder relied on the veteran savvy of Alex Caruso to close the deal. Fresh off his second championship, Caruso stirred things up at the postgame press conference with a cheeky remark about his 2020 title with the Lakers: “Yeah, now I’ve got a real one-now no one can say anything.”
Caruso’s Journey: From Bubble to Bedrock
So, when Caruso-now the Thunder’s elder statesman-grinned and said, “Now I got a real one,” it struck a nerve. He quickly backtracked on X, posting, “I had 3 beers already, it’s SARCASM!”-a classic Caruso move to defuse tension. However, the stats tell the real tale: With the Lakers, Caruso was a role player who logged 24 minutes a night in the Finals, with one double-digit scoring game and five steals total. This time? He averaged 28 minutes, scored 10+ points in four games, and had 17 steals-three in Game 7 alone. Traded to OKC last offseason for Josh Giddey, Caruso’s tireless defense and infectious energy were game-changers, reminiscent of his Lakers days but on a bigger stage.
Alex Caruso’s journey to winning two titles is a story of hustle and heart. Undrafted in 2016, he worked his way up from the G League to become a key player on the Lakers’ 2020 championship team. However, that championship ring has long been a punching bag for critics who point to the lack of home-court advantage and the oddities of the 2020 season to downplay its significance, often as a jab at LeBron James‘s fourth championship.
With this win, Caruso joins an elite group as the tenth active NBA player with multiple championship rings. He joins Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and Jrue Holiday as one of only three players to win titles in the 2020s. The sky’s the limit for the Thunder. They’re already favored to win back-to-back titles, with their young core intact and Caruso locked in for four more years. The locker room celebration spoke volumes: as the young players struggled with the champagne bottles, “Uncle Caruso” stepped in to show them how it’s done, capping off a season of growth in the best way possible.
Thunder’s Record-Breaking Season and Finals Triumph
The Thunder didn’t just win a championship; they rewrote the record books. Their 68 regular-season victories marked the sixth-best win total in NBA history. They got off to a scorching start with seven consecutive double-digit blowouts. By the end of the season, they boasted the best point differential in league history, a testament to their relentless pace and stifling defense.
All that brilliance would have meant little without a title, but OKC delivered in the Finals. Facing a tough Pacers squad in Game 7, they turned the tide in the second half, locking down defensively to hoist the trophy. While Gilgeous-Alexander dazzled as MVP, Caruso’s grit and experience steadied the ship, proving vital in the final moments.
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