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Chet Holmgren Sends Clear Message About Thunder Teammate Before NBA Finals

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By JH Kubicek | Last updated Jun 4, 2025 5:13 PM ET

The Oklahoma City Thunder will meet the Indiana Pacers in the NBA Finals, with Game 1 tipping off on Thursday. Both teams are, for the most part, inexperienced, although they each have a player who has taken on a veteran role.

Both Alex Caruso and Pascal Siakam have won an NBA title, and each team is leaning on their star to get them over the top.

Chet Holmgren recently opened up about how Caruso has helped the team find a winning identity throughout the playoffs and in his first regular season in Oklahoma City.

The Thunder added Caruso in the offseason in a trade for Josh Giddey with the Chicago Bulls. Before that, Caruso was a defensive mastermind for both the Bulls and the Los Angeles Lakers, where he played a big role in winning a title in 2020.

"The importance of executing the details" is what Holmgren thinks Caruso has helped out the most with in his first season with the Thunder. "It’s been big having him.”

Caruso, like most defensive-minded players, tends to fare better in the playoffs than the regular season. The Thunder didn't add him to help them win 68 games, they added him to help them win the Finals.

In 2020, Caruso increased his minutes per game from 18 in the regular season to 24 in the Finals, and was excellent on both ends of the floor. Much like the Lakers, the Thunder won't need him to be a volume scorer, but his defense and presence should help put OKC over the top.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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