Veteran guard Alex Caruso continues to be a steadying force for the young Oklahoma City Thunder. In Game 2 of the NBA Finals, Caruso’s leadership and defensive grit, combined with Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s brilliant performance, helped the Thunder defeat the Indiana Pacers and level the series at 1-1. Caruso’s presence off the bench proved critical in OKC’s 123-107 win on Sunday.
Following the game, Thunder swingman Jalen Williams was asked about the experience of going up against Caruso either in practice or during previous games. Williams couldn’t help but crack a joke, saying he usually gets the better of the seasoned defender.
“I don’t know I’d be frying AC, so I don’t really know,” Williams said.
"I don’t know. I be frying AC… Nah but he's a really good defender… Physical [and] smart."
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) June 9, 2025
Jalen Williams on going against Alex Caruso as an opponent or in practice 😅
(via @BrettSiegelNBA) pic.twitter.com/JLMgmsd6rg
However, Williams quickly shifted to praise for Caruso. Later, he acknowledged Caruso’s elite defensive qualities.
“But he’s a really good defender. Great hands, good feet, physical, smart. So when you add all that together and the amount of like years that he’s been in the league, I can imagine it’s probably a little uncomfortable,” he added.
Alex Caruso Claps Back At Jalen Williams With Veteran Calm
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Following Jalen Williams’ playful remark, Alex Caruso fired back with a sharp response of his own. In the postgame press conference, Caruso didn’t hold back with his witty comeback when asked about Williams claiming he dominates him in practice.
“Dub is just a very confident individual. I’m not the best practice player. Once I made an NBA roster and signed a contract, my intensity in practice dropped a little bit,” Caruso said.
For his part, Caruso had one of his best playoff performances. He came off the bench to score 20 points, grab three rebounds, and dish one assist. He shot 6-of-11 from the field and knocked down 4-of-8 shots from beyond the arc, tying his career high for points in a postseason game.
