After a comeback victory in Game 4 of the NBA Finals, Thunder guard Alex Caruso detailed the mentality behind Oklahoma City’s 111-104 win over Indiana, praising both individual leadership and team-wide commitment in the postgame press conference Friday night.
Caruso credited Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s consistency as a driving force in the team’s response to adversity.
“You wouldn’t know if it was preseason or Game 4 of the Finals down 2-1 with him,” Caruso said. “Underneath that stoic look is a deep, deep-rooted competitiveness.”
Gilgeous-Alexander scored 15 of his 35 points in the final five minutes to power the Thunder’s late-game surge. His step-back jumper with 2:23 left gave Oklahoma City its first second-half lead.
Caruso also highlighted Jalen Williams’ impact, noting the 24-year-old’s early offense and late-game defense.
“I kind of just expected him to come out and answer the call. And he did it early,” Caruso said. “There’s a reason he’s an All-NBA player.”
Williams finished with 27 points and seven rebounds, helping the Thunder overcome a 10-point second-half deficit and tie the series 2-2.
Asked about a pivotal fourth-quarter timeout with 3:52 remaining and the team trailing by three, Caruso emphasized the importance of staying grounded.
“We never wavered. Never thought, ‘Ah, we might lose this game,’” he said. “We were concentrated on trying to win it, trying to solve the puzzle.”
Caruso, who tallied 20 points off the bench, said he made a conscious effort to adjust after a self-described subpar Game 3.
“I don’t think my mentality and focus was sharp enough,” he said. “So I made a concentrated effort to play as hard as I could and help the team win.”
With Oklahoma City’s depth stepping up, Caruso acknowledged the value of team communication. He singled out Jaylin Williams for his leadership in huddles, calling his vocal presence a “God-given ability.”
“He has a great ability to lead,” Caruso said. “I don’t think he even knows that he’s been getting better at it, but he has.”
Caruso also addressed his own evolution as a vocal leader, pointing to experiences across high school, college, and the NBA.
“You can decipher a game through communication,” he explained. “If it’s something that I think is important, I’m going to say it.”
With the Finals tied, the Thunder return to Oklahoma City for Game 5 on Monday. Historically, the winner of Game 5 in a 2-2 Finals has gone on to win the championship 73% of the time.
