SI

NBA Fans Loved Alex Caruso’s Absolutely Brutal Screen Moments After Being Hurt

The Thunder guard was undeterred after a fall Wednesday.

Patrick Andres

Alex Caruso during the Thunder's 109–99 win over the Trail Blazers on Nov. 20, 2024.
Alex Caruso during the Thunder's 109–99 win over the Trail Blazers on Nov. 20, 2024. / Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images

When the Oklahoma City Thunder acquired guard Alex Caruso from the Chicago Bulls on June 21, the NBA world generally agreed that the Thunder had improved.

Why? Caruso is the type of player who does the things that don't show up in the box score, as evidenced by a wild sequence during Oklahoma City's 109–99 win over the Portland Trail Blazers Wednesday.

Watch the following video carefully. Diving for what appears to be a rebound, Caruso takes a hard fall. Slowly but surely, he rises to his feet—and almost instantly sets a vicious screen on guard Shaedon Sharpe.

The result of the play: a Thunder bucket, and adulation for Caruso even as he left the game with a hip injury.

Fans had fun turning the sequence into memes.

Everyone had a laugh at Caruso's quick thinking.

When Caruso is back to full health, this will be one for the highlight reel.

It was a play that could be enjoyed in the Sooner State...

...and beyond.

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Patrick Andres
PATRICK ANDRES

Patrick Andres is a staff writer on the Breaking and Trending News team at Sports Illustrated. He joined SI in December 2022, having worked for The Blade, Athlon Sports, Fear the Sword and Diamond Digest. Andres has covered everything from zero-attendance Big Ten basketball to a seven-overtime college football game. He is a graduate of Northwestern University's Medill School of Journalism with a double major in history .

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