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Alex Caruso · A considerable portion of the Oklahoma City Thunder’s “aura,” as the kids say, stems from their ability to turn simple quotes into lyric-like bars, and after explaining that his “whole career has been a Game Seven,” Alex Caruso had done just that. Poised, therefore, for brilliance during his first-ever win-or-go-home postseason game, Caruso left behind countless examples, most notably through a quick-handed pickpocket of Nikola Jokić’s handle after cancelling the Denver Nuggets’ pick-and-roll plans. Turboing out in transition with an already-charged Thunder crowd elevated and ready for another source of celebration, Caruso outwits Christian Braun with a behind-the-back dime to his superstar teammate, setting the stage for a transition jam. Confirming his Oklahoma City arrival to be among those, the former 2020 NBA champion helped punch the franchise’s Western Conference Finals ticket through a +40 plus-minus — off the bench, mind you — alongside 11 points, three assists, three steals, and a triple on May 18, 2025. · State of Mint · State of Mint