Alex Caruso provided 27 huge minutes off the bench for the Oklahoma City Thunder on Sunday night as they leveled up the NBA Finals against the Indiana Pacers. The veteran guard, who won a title in the bubble with the Los Angeles Lakers back in 2020, had 20 points as OKC was able to build an insurmountable lead—even for Tyrese Haliburton.
After the game, Caruso was asked about being back on basketball's biggest stage. And it turns out it's creating many interesting run-ins with those who want to congratulate him on the journey to this point.
Caruso, though, sees things a different way.
"I keep seeing people for the first time this postseason, people that I know or don't know and they say congratulations," Caruso said. "I truly don't want them to tell me congratulations until the series is over and we've won four games."
Alex Caruso:
— Oh No He Didn't (@ohnohedidnt24) June 9, 2025
"I keep seeing people for the first time this postseason, people that I know or don't know and they say congratulations. I truly don't want them to tell me congratulations until the series is over and we've won" pic.twitter.com/hD98uV08L6
That's a perfect mid-series quote. This is the time of the year where all of the hard work and season-long winning means nothing unless the ultimate prize is attained. Or at the very least, the type of public message coaches and players want to send.
So if you see Caruso out there, please do not congratulate him. Yet.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Alex Caruso Doesn't Want to Be Congratulated Until the Thunder's Job Is Done.
