His First Job Paid $19,500. Now He's the Most Important Player in the NBA Finals.
Nine years before Alex Caruso was in the NBA Finals, gunning for the second championship ring of his strangely illustrious career, he was somewhere else entirely.
The basketball league where absolutely no one wants to be.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
USA Today
an hour ago
- USA Today
Alex Caruso on what he learned from LeBron James while with Lakers
Alex Caruso on what he learned from LeBron James while with Lakers The Oklahoma City Thunder may be down two games to one in the NBA Finals after their Game 3 loss to the Indiana Pacers, but they're not exactly out. Game 4 is on Friday, and if they win, they will regain home-court advantage with two of the following three contests taking place in their house. Their bench got severely outscored — 49-18 to be exact — in Game 3, but as usual, Alex Caruso was one reserve who performed well. He scored eight points and added five rebounds, four assists and two steals in 32 minutes. Caruso, of course, won an NBA championship with the Los Angeles Lakers during the 2019-20 season, and Lakers fans are still mad that he left in free agency a year later. He said that he learned plenty during that time from LeBron James, especially when it comes to how to prepare and take care of his body. "Just the ability to be a pro. To go get your treatment, to eat right, to sleep, get in your recovery tights. The competitive greatness that he has that I've picked up from him and other guys has been a good addition to my mentality," Caruso said about what he learned from James. "But really just being a pro. Being a pro's pro. I think we played over a hundred games as a team now this year, not including practices, not including travel days. All that stuff adds up. Just being a pro, making sure I'm taking care of my body, my mind and bringing others with me." The guard is a real-life rags-to-riches story, NBA style. He went undrafted in 2016 out of Texas A&M University, and his first official NBA action didn't come until the 2017-18 season with the Lakers. But they believed in him and developed him, and he made his name with them before long. Since leaving L.A., he has continued to improve his game. His defense has improved to the point where he made one of the All-Defensive teams in the 2022-23 and 2023-24 seasons, and his 3-point shooting has somewhat improved. Even if he doesn't end up claiming his second Larry O'Brien Trophy in the coming days, he should have a good shot at doing so over the next few years.
New York Post
an hour ago
- New York Post
BetMGM bonus code POSTBET for $1,500 in bonus bets for NBA Finals
Gambling content 21+. The New York Post may receive an affiliate commission if you sign up through our links. Read our editorial standards for more information. We have reached the business end of the 2025 NBA Finals between the Indiana Pacers and Oklahoma City Thunder. Game 4 of the series is scheduled for Friday evening at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, with tip-off set for 8:30 p.m. ET. The Pacers lead, 2-1, after Wednesday's triumph. Looking to bet on the NBA Finals? Check out BetMGM, where they are offering new users an offer to get your first bet back in bonus bets if your first bet doesn't win, up to $1,500, for the duration of the series. BetMGM bonus code POSTBET for the NBA Finals Use BetMGM bonus code POSTBET to get your first bet back in bonus bets if your first bet doesn't win, up to $1,500. BetMGM Sportsbook is legal in Arizona, Colorado, Washington D.C., Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Louisiana, Maryland, Michigan, Mississippi, New Jersey, Nevada, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia, West Virginia and Wyoming. How to sign up at BetMGM sportsbook Select your bonus offer. Choose your state. Fill out your login details. Enter the promo code POSTBET. Make a deposit. What our Post expert thinks about the NBA Finals The first couple of games of a best-of-seven series sometimes turn into a feeling-out process, as the two teams look to make the right adjustments in order to give themselves the best chance to win. We're certainly past that, now, as these two teams know the other's strengths and weaknesses, which should lead to a dramatic finish to this year's Finals. 21+. Gambling problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER. AZ, CO, DC, IA, IL, IN, LA, KS, KY, MA, MD, MI, NC, NJ, OH, PA, TN, VA, WV, WY. Call 877-8-HOPENY or text HOPENY (467369) (NY). Call 1-800-327-5050 (MA). Please Gamble Responsibly. Call 1-800-NEXT-STEP (AZ), 1-800-522-4700 (KS, NV), 1-800-BETS-OFF (IA). Participant must complete the Wagering. Bonus Bets Expire in 7 Days. US Promotional Offers Not Available in MS, NY, ON, or PR. Visit for Terms & Conditions.
USA Today
an hour ago
- USA Today
Game 4 same game parlay – Friday, June 13
NBA picks: Thunder vs. Pacers NBA Finals | Game 4 same game parlay – Friday, June 13 The Oklahoma City Thunder will play the Indiana Pacers in Game 4 of the NBA Finals. For same-game parlay suggestions, check out the article below. Watch the NBA with NBA League Pass Successfully hitting the spread, total and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander under 34.5 PTS parlay for the Thunder-Pacers game pays out $56.82 on a $10 bet using the computer picks below. Curious how each of those wagers looks? Continue scrolling to learn more. NBA odds courtesy of BetMGM Sportsbook. Odds updated Thursday at 11:16 a.m. ET. For a full list of sports betting odds, access USA TODAY Sports Betting Scores Odds Hub. Thunder vs. Pacers spread pick Favorite: Thunder (-6) Thunder (-6) Pick ATS: Thunder -6 (Projected score: Thunder 119, Pacers 111) Thunder -6 (Projected score: Thunder 119, Pacers 111) Oklahoma City's record against the spread is 53-25-4. The Thunder are 37-20-3 as 6-point favorites or more. Indiana has 38 wins in 82 games against the spread this season. As 6-point underdogs or more, the Pacers are 7-6 against the spread. Thunder vs. Pacers total pick Total: 225.5 225.5 Pick OU: Over 225.5 (Projecting 229.4 total points) Over 225.5 (Projecting 229.4 total points) Oklahoma City has combined with its opponents to score more than 225.5 points in 48 of 82 games this season. In 65.9% of Indiana's games this season (54/82), the teams combined to score more than Friday's over/under of 225.5 points. The Thunder and their opponents have scored an average of 227.5 points per game in 2024-25, 2.0 more than Friday's total. The 225.5-point total for this game is 7.6 points below the 233.1 points per game average total in Pacers games this season. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander points prop Points prop: OU 34.5 OU 34.5 Pick: Under (Projecting 34.1 points) Under (Projecting 34.1 points) Friday's points prop bet for Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is 34.5 points. That is 1.8 more than his season average of 32.7. So far this season, Gilgeous-Alexander is 36-for-75 at scoring more than the total set for his points prop. Thunder vs. Pacers game info
