Alex Caruso on Pacers-Thunder 2025 NBA Finals Game 7: 'It's a chance at history'
Arriving in Indiana with a 3-2 series lead, Alex Caruso refused to think about a championship. After all, the Oklahoma City Thunder still needed one more win to clinch it. He said all the right cliches heading into Game 6 about avoiding complacency, but the body language said otherwise.
Caruso finished with zero points on 0-of-2 shooting, three rebounds and two assists. He also had a block.
The Thunder couldn't clinch a championship in their 108-91 Game 6 loss to the Pacers. The 2025 NBA Finals is now squared at 3-3 with a decisive Game 7 up next.
The Thunder tried to shake their mojo with a halftime lineup change. Caruso started over Isaiah Hartenstein. No dice. The offensive problems continued as they went what felt like an hour to get back on the scoreboard.
You can't expect another 20-point outburst out of Caruso, but he has to be better than this. The 31-year-old headlines the Thunder's bench. His active voice has made him a locker room leader. With an upcoming Game 7, he will need to be better.
"It's a chance at history. We would have rather liked to win it in four, but if you are telling me I got one game with a chance to win the title, I'd take that at the beginning of the year," Caruso said. "That's my mindset. We have an opportunity Sunday to go out and win a championship."
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Miller and Haliburton shared a big hug on the court after Game 6, with Miller staring into Haliburton's eyes, as if he could see all the dreams he fell short of being resurrected in his successor. Thursday's victory officially put the Pacers as close to an NBA championship as they've ever been. But close isn't close enough. Haliburton, whose three game-winners in these playoffs have propelled his team to this moment, won't accept that. Nor will his peers. They have no interest in being the lovable underdogs or admirable challengers. Their ultimate goal, as they prepare for Game 7 on Sunday night, is to be misfit champions. As one hoist of the Larry O'Brien Trophy would reveal, misfit champions are still champions. 'We just have to find a way,' Mathurin said. '… We're playing away against a great team and a great crowd. 'All we have is us.' (Top photo of Pascal Siakam and Tyrese Haliburton: Joe Murphy / NBAE via Getty Images)
