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Alex Caruso led the Oklahoma City Thunder to a Round 1 sweep over the Phoenix Suns, scoring 14 points in Game 4. His performance included a crucial dunk and solid shooting, showcasing his playoff readiness.
Apr 27, 2026; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder guard Alex Caruso (9) dunks the ball against the Phoenix Suns in the first half during game four of the first round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs at Mortgage Matchup Center. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images
Not even a full minute into his first check-in, Alex Caruso already left a footprint at the place formerly called Footprint Center. He stuck with Devin Booker as Jalen Green threw an ill-timed pass to him. Instead, the 32-year-old easily intercepted it and ran it back all the way for the two-handed dunk.
The Oklahoma City Thunder completed a Round 1 sweep over the Phoenix Suns with a 131-122 Game 4 win. Once again, Caruso showed he goes all out for the NBA playoffs after a meh regular season.
Caruso finished with 14 points on 5-of-7 shooting, four rebounds and one assist. He shot 4-of-6 from 3. He also had one steal.
Some guys are 16-game players. And Caruso fits that definition seamlessly. Off of the worst outside shooting season of his career, he's morphed into a flamethrower for this Round 1 matchup. The NBA playoffs have rejuvenated his outside jumper and chaotic style of defense.
In Game 4, Alex Caruso scored 14 points, had four rebounds, one assist, and one steal, shooting 5-of-7 overall and 4-of-6 from three-point range.
The Oklahoma City Thunder completed a Round 1 sweep over the Phoenix Suns, winning Game 4 with a score of 131-122.
Alex Caruso is seen as a playoff riser due to his impactful performances in crucial games, particularly his ability to step up during the playoffs after a less impressive regular season.

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To keep pace with the Suns' blitzing start, Caruso had 11 points in the first quarter. After a third outside make, he went for a heat check that barely missed. Even though his jumper eventually cooled off, he was a must-play the rest of the way. Simply from what he did on defense.
When Caruso was quarterbacking his Thunder teammates, he anticipated the Suns' offense. Booker never really looked comfortable in this Round 1 series. And Green reverted to being a high-volume, low-efficiency scorer. You can thank the 32-year-old for a lot of that.
Isaiah Hartenstein talked about Caruso's Round 1 series. He averaged nine points, four rebounds and 1.8 steals. He shot an impressive 47.1% from 3 on 4.3 attempts ā quite the contrary to his career-worst 29.3% number on 3.2 attempts in the regular season.
"I just think he's really big for our team. The last two games, he was huge. So just knowing that you have someone like that on a team that you can trust. Knowing when the big moments come, he's ready. I think that's what he does, probably one of the best in the league," Hartenstein said about Caruso. "Again, it's not easy to have maybe not that big of a role throughout the regular season. And then when the playoffs come, they're like, 'Hey, now lock in.' So I think he's a unique player. He's a great competitor. Just love having him on my team."
This article originally appeared on OKC Thunder Wire: In Round 1 sweep over Suns, Alex Caruso shows why he's an NBA playoff riser