Thunder's Alex Caruso tips cap to ‘crazy good' Pacers after NBA Finals
The post Thunder's Alex Caruso tips cap to 'crazy good' Pacers after NBA Finals appeared first on ClutchPoints.
The Oklahoma City Thunder defeated the Indiana Pacers in seven games to win their first NBA championship. The series was a long, hard-fought battle between two of the league's smaller market teams. The NBA's video recapping the series shows just how hard Tyrese Haliburton and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander fought for the title.
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Thunder guard Alex Caruso appeared on The Pat McAfee Show to talk about the series on Wednesday.
The veteran guard did not give McAfee or the rest of Indiana's fanbase any props. The former Indianapolis Colts punter took the mic throughout the series, trying to rally the Pacers to wins. However, the two-time NBA champion had nothing but nice things to say about Tyrese Haliburton and the rest of Indiana's team.
'…the team does deserve a round of applause,' Caruso said. 'The team had a crazy good run. I think they overachieved in everybody else's eyes, but I think from the inside looking out, they just played their game, and they are a tough out. It was not easy, we had to play good basketball to beat them, so hats off to them. Tyrese(Haliburton), Pascal(Siakam), all those guys, coach (Rick) Carlisle.'
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While Oklahoma City continues to celebrate a dramatic Game 7 victory, the basketball world walks away with mixed feelings. Haliburton tore his ACL in the first quarter of the game after dealing with a calf strain earlier in the series. The injury sent the game from on that was shaping up to be an instant classic to a shell-shocking experience.
However, a champion had to be crowned and the Thunder seized the opportunity. Despite McAfee and others rooting against them, the Thunder were one of the most dominant teams in recent NBA history on the defensive end of the floor. Adding Caruso and Isaiah Hartenstein this summer put them over the top.
Caruso and his teammates enjoyed the championship parade on Tuesday in Oklahoma City. While they took the day to revel in their win, their locker room leader was not the only one to give the Pacers credit.
NBA and Finals MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander expressed his sympathy for Haliburton's injury. According to him, the Thunder team had the same reaction as the rest of the basketball world when the All-NBA guard when down.
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With the offseason already under way, both Oklahoma City and Indiana get to start their climb again. However, the Pacers face a much tougher task without their leader. Regardless of what happens, Caruso and the rest of the NBA world has respect for what Indiana pulled off.
Related: 3 Oklahoma City Thunder 2025 NBA free agency targets after winning title
Related: Thunder's Shai Gilegous-Alexander calls out doubters in IG post after parade
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