Despite Tyrese Haliburton’s calf scare threatening to derail Indiana’s momentum, the Pacers had roared back in Game 6. They forced a winner-take-all Game 7 of the 2025 NBA Finals against the Oklahoma City Thunder. In that Game 6 on June 19, Thunder reserve Alex Caruso couldn’t score any points despite playing 22 minutes off the bench. However, he dished out two assists and a lone block.
Meanwhile, in Sunday’s matchup (June 22), Caruso electrified the Paycom Center crowd, drawing wild social-media comparisons to Michael Jordan after an attempted putback dunk. Being a prior NBA champion, Caruso’s almost putback dunk went viral online, as the Thunder clinched their first NBA championship title.
Alex Caruso Channels Michael Jordan with Epic Putback Attempt
Oklahoma City sprinted out to a 25–22 first-quarter lead behind shifty drives from Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. The Pacers clawed back in the second frame. They outscored the Thunder 26-22 and took a slim 48-47 advantage by halftime.
In the third quarter, with just 4 minutes and 15 seconds, Caruso attempted a putback dunk, which misfired. At the time, Indiana was 64, and Oklahoma City was at 70. It drew a viral post from @jhovey34 comparing it to Jordan’s famous 1992 putback dunk off Scottie Pippen’s free throw, only to see it clang off the rim.
In the caption, the X user wrote, “Caruso just went for put back dunk of the century [laughing emojis].”
Caruso just went for put back dunk of the century 😂😂😂 pic.twitter.com/sdUZN67QN9
— J.P. Hovey (@jhovey34) June 23, 2025
Another tweet from social media influencer Jasmine L. Watkins went viral online, gaining over 10,000 views. In the caption, she made an amusing jab at Caruso’s failed putback dunk by sharing his snapshot alongside a still of Jordan from his 1993 game against Houston. In the caption, Watkins wrote, “Caruso said he’s bald, I’m bald … I’m going for it.”
It is also an ode to Caruso’s “The Bald Eagle” nickname, which Watkins used in her lighthearted tweet. Her tweet invited fan comments such as, “Headband held him back.”
Caruso said he’s bald, I’m bald … I’m going for it pic.twitter.com/YhRCTgYqlE
— Jasmine (@JasmineLWatkins) June 23, 2025
Interestingly, although Caruso failed to finish this attempt, he pulled it off successfully five years ago. You might remember Caruso’s famous in-air dunk as a Laker during a Los Angeles Lakers and Memphis Grizzlies game in 2020.
Anthony Davis missed one of his free throws, but Caruso flew off the hardwood right at the moment and executed a flawless putback dunk, leaving his Lakers teammate and even LeBron James in awe. The Lakers won 117-105, thanks to Caruso’s timely and critical contributions.
Oklahoma City Thunder Win the 2025 NBA Finals
Midway through the first quarter, Haliburton’s embattled calf gave up during a drive, forcing him to the locker room in obvious pain. He was officially ruled out for the remainder of the evening. Before this happened, Haliburton drained three critical triples. Yet, Indiana’s collective willpower was no match for the Thunder, who were unstoppable tonight.
By the fourth, the Thunder had built a double-digit cushion. They cruised to a 103–91 victory and a first NBA title in franchise history.
JOB FINISHED 🏆
The Thunder have brought a championship to Oklahoma City for the first time! ⚡ pic.twitter.com/LVEDrd3WGa
— ESPN (@espn) June 23, 2025
From the Indiana Pacers’ side, Bennedict Mathurin scored a team-high 24 points and 13 rebounds, grabbing a double-double. T.J. McConnell added 16 points off the bench. Meanwhile, Pascal Siakam led the team with 16 points, two assists, and a single steal.
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Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 29 points for the Oklahoma City Thunder along with 12 assists. Jalen Williams chipped in 20 points, four assists, and two steals. Caruso added 10 points, three steals, and a single block off the bench. He made 2-of-5 three-pointers.
Oklahoma City’s 103-91 triumph capped a breathtaking season in which GM Sam Presti and coach Mark Daigneault’s methodical rebuild finally yielded the ultimate prize.
