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.

After being the youngest first seed in NBA history, the Oklahoma City Thunder pivoted to win-now moves in the 2024 offseason. The rebuild was over as Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Jalen Williams and Chet Holmgren established themselves as one of the best trios.

But in addition to adding a fantastic fit at center, the Thunder also made the most underrated move of the summer in trading for Alex Caruso. It wasn’t necessarily a need for the Thunder, but proved to be the most important move made.