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Alex Caruso · As if unsatisfied about finishing six deflections shy of 2023-24’s No. 1 spot, the Oklahoma City Thunder — with resources unlike any other — perhaps gathered together, settling on one foolproof solution: acquiring the player who ranked atop the Association. Requiring all of two weeks to confirm that no passing lane would be safe with Oklahoma City in play, Alex Caruso foils Anthony Black’s plan, averting the ball’s trajectory enough to send it ricocheting towards the floor’s opposite side. 50-50 in his probability of winning the footrace against the Orlando Magic's Jalen Suggs, Caruso, floor burns be darned, unearths an advantage by diving to the hardwood, retrieving a hard-earned steal. Team-first plays of that caliber ultimately made the difference, as the Thunder prevailed in a battle between the NBA’s No. 1 and No. 2-ranked defenses on November 4, 2024. Often finding his on-court impact understated on a traditional box score, Caruso recorded a three-point, five-assist, one-steal, one-triple contribution, alongside five deflections, five contested shots, and a +10 plus-minus in 20 minutes. · State of Mint