On Thursday evening, Game 1 of the 2025 NBA Finals will be held in Oklahoma City. The Thunder hosts the pacers. OKC is a huge favorite to win the 2025 NBA Finals.
Ahead of the final, Lakers’ LeBron James released a preview of the “Mind the Game” podcast with co-host Steve Nash. James spoke about the diversity of OKC’s rosters and mentioned one player in particular. He called Thunder’s Alex Caruso “one of my favourite teammates of all time.” NBA legend praised Caruso and the role he played for the lightning.
Alex Caruso was praised by his former teammate LeBron James
Pacer’s offense and Thunder defense were matches played in heaven.
A new episode with @kingjames & @Stevenash Before the finals are released, we’ll preview the pros and cons of each team.
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– Keep the game (@mindthegamepod) in mind June 4, 2025
After the 2023-24 season, the Thunder made two changes to the roster. They added big man Isaiah Haltenstein to their starting lineup, and veteran Alex Caruso as a key role player. Recently, LeBron James released a preview of the NBA Finals on his Mind the Game podcast with co-hosted Steve Nash. James praised OKC’s Alex Caruso and the defensive versatility he brings to his team. He went to call Caruso one of his “best” favorite teammates of all time.
Furthermore, James said Caruso is the “ultimate Swiss aramin knife” on defense. He can easily guard front and backcourt players. The fact that players like Alex Caruso are off the bench is what separates lightning this season. The 31-year-old is his eighth professional season and is the oldest player on OKC’s roster.
During the regular season, Caruso averaged 19.3 minutes per Thunder game. In the 2025 playoffs, that number rose to 22.5 minutes per contest. Alex Caruso has +116 plus/minus up to 16 games this postseason. He was an important role player away from the OKC bench. They have only four wins since winning the NBA Finals. Game 1 is Thursday at 8:30pm ET.