The Oklahoma City Thunder and Indiana Pacers will play Game 5 of the NBA Finals on Monday inside the Paycom Center in Oklahoma City.
The series is tied at 2-2, and Thunder guard Alex Caruso has quickly become one of its top performers. The 31-year-old scored 20 points in both Games 2 and 4 off the bench.
Caruso is averaging 14.8 points and 4.3 rebounds per game in the series and has played tight on-ball defense against Pacers guards such as Tyrese Haliburton, which has helped him receive recognition from fans and media personalities for his toughness, attitude and athleticism.
“The versatility and a winner’s mentality is what ALEX CARUSO has, and it is contagious,” longtime ESPN broadcaster Dick Vitale wrote on X on Saturday. "I understand @MagicJohnson saying the @Lakers made a big mistake not signing him to an extension when they had him. HIS TOUGHNESS is special."
Vitale is referring to Magic's recent comments on ESPN's "First Take" with Stephen A. Smith. The Hall of Famer and Los Angeles Lakers legend believes the Lakers should have re-signed Caruso after the 2020-21 season when he decided to sign with the Chicago Bulls, who he spent three seasons with until being traded to Oklahoma City for guard Josh Giddey last summer.
Johnson was once the Lakers' president of basketball operations from 2017-19 but resigned before Caruso became a key contributor to the Lakers in 2020 under general manager Rob Pelinka. Caruso and fellow guard Kentavious Caldwell-Pope provided clutch shooting and strong defense during L.A.'s run to a championship in 2020.
“They were our best on-ball defenders, and I told them that, if you lose [Caldwell-Pope], you have to keep Caruso,” Johnson said. “They signed Taylor [Horton-Tucker] to that $9 million instead of giving that to Caruso, which came back to bite them.”
Oklahoma City Thunder guard Alex Caruso (9) looks on during a game against the Indiana Pacers at Paycom Center.
Oklahoma City Thunder guard Alex Caruso (9) won a championship with the Los Angeles Lakers in 2020.
Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images
Now, Caruso is looking to help the Thunder win two more games to bring the city its first NBA championship.
Tipoff for Monday’s Game 5 of the NBA Finals between the Thunder and Pacers in Oklahoma City is at 8:30 p.m. ET on ABC.