He’s not Batman. He’s Alex Caruso. And he’s leading the Thunder in his own way in the NBA Finals

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) - Alex Caruso got asked after Game 4 of the NBA Finals if he's aware that he's achieved a level of superhero-type status among fans of the Oklahoma City Thunder during this playoff run.

After all, having zero 20-point games in the regular season followed by two - and counting - in the NBA Finals against the Indiana Pacers tends to have an effect on people.

"For the superhero reference, we'll just do Robin because that's the only one I can probably make some similarities to," Caruso said. "I've got better players around me that are doing more."

That's part of the Caruso story, and he's just fine with that. He was part of the Los Angeles Lakers team - alongside a Batman in LeBron James - that won a title in the pandemic "bubble" in 2020. And he has helped this Thunder team - alongside another Batman in Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, the reigning MVP and scoring champion who slapped on his cape and carried OKC down the stretch of Game 4 - move within two wins of what would be his second championship.

He had 20 points against the Pacers in Game 2 and 20 points again in a probably season-saving win in Game 4; it's no coincidence that those are the games the Thunder have won in this series. And his Game 4 performance was historic; no player in finals history had ever had 20 points and five steals off the bench in a game during the title series.

Before Friday, that is, when he did just that.

"He's a competitive monster, clearly," Thunder coach Mark Daigneault said. "He's proven that time and again over his career. Certainly in these playoffs ... I can't say enough about him as a competitor."

Caruso, 31, is the oldest player on the Thunder roster. And his teammates have no problem pointing out that he's the wise sage of the team, the vet with a ring, the one you go to for advice on virtually any topic.

"He plays the game, he thinks the game and he's also coaching the game all at the same time," forward Cason Wallace said. "He's always a few steps ahead."

Caruso's is the quintessential story of bucking the odds. A four-star recruit out of high school, not drafted by any NBA team, and some coaches still lament letting him get away.

Among them: Rick Carlisle. Now the Indiana coach, Carlisle was with Dallas when the Mavericks brought Caruso - a Texas A&M guy - in for a workout. They didn't even offer him a summer league deal.

Whoops.

"Some of these guys that go under the radar have that level of grit and determination that is able to get them to the league and to get them some longevity and high impact," Carlisle said.

James, even now, still calls Caruso "one of my favorite teammates of all time." The Thunder feel the same way about him, for obvious reasons.

Caruso doesn't need to be Batman. Being a Robin is just fine with him.

"It just comes down to really wanting to win, being super competitive," Caruso said. "That's why my career is the way it is. That's why I've had success. That's why I'm still in the NBA. That's why I'm here talking to you right now."

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