Alex Caruso's 31-point night gives Thunder a chance in Game 1
The guard with the headband carried the Oklahoma City Thunder on Monday night. With reigning NBA Most Valuable Player Shai Gilgeous-Alexander largely bottled up by San Antonio's defense, it was another headband-clad guard — Alex Caruso — who tried to come to the rescue in Game 1 of the Western Conference finals. It was nearly enough: Caruso hit eight 3-pointers and finished with 31 points, the second-most of his career, but the Thunder fell to Victor Wembanyama and the Spurs 122-115 in double overtime.
OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — The guard with the headband carried the Oklahoma City Thunder on Monday night. No, not that one. With reigning NBA Most Valuable Player Shai Gilgeous-Alexander largely bottled up by San Antonio's defense, it was another headband-clad guard — Alex Caruso — who tried to come to the rescue in Game 1 of the Western Conference finals.
He played the best game of his playoff career and maybe one of his best, period. It was nearly enough: Caruso hit eight 3-pointers and finished with 31 points, the second-most of his career, but the Thunder fell to Victor Wembanyama and the Spurs 122-115 in double overtime. “He’s an incredible competitor,” Thunder coach Mark Daigneault said.
“His shot-making kept us in it while we were trying to find our footing offensively. " It wasn't just the offense. Caruso — basically a foot shorter than Wembanyama — was Oklahoma City's most effective defender against the Spurs star.
Caruso battled, clawed, scrapped and whatever else the referees would allow to give the Thunder a chance. Wembanyama finished with 41 points and 24 rebounds, but he needed to dig deep into his own bag of tricks late in the first overtime with a long, game-tying 3-pointer. Otherwise, Caruso would have been the hero.