Oklahoma City Thunder guard Alex Caruso revealed his message for the fans after eliminating the Denver Nuggets. The No. 1 seed in the Western Conference lived up to its 68-win total, blowing out the Nuggets 125-93 in Game 7 of the second round. Caruso has been a significant part of this franchise's success this postseason. In particular, the all-purpose role player showcased his versatility on defense, guarding Nikola Jokic throughout this contest. Caruso finished the game with eleven points and three steals and was a +40 when he was on the floor.

The 31-year-old came over from the Chicago Bulls in a trade this past offseason and has fit in like a glove. Now, Oklahoma City will face a dangerous Minnesota team with only a day of rest before Game 1. Before focusing on the Timberwolves, Caruso paid his respects to the Thunder fans in his postgame press conference, sending a message in the process.

“I love this place. I told people after Game 5 here, I think that was the loudest basketball arena I’ve ever been in… it was deafening how loud it was. And I think it’s a testament to how much the community cares and how much the city cares about basketball and this team. And I think it’s reciprocated. We play with a ton of energy and a ton of effort, and I think they’re excited to play their part and cheer us on. That’s the biggest thing in sports. Fans want to see effort, they want to see you play with energy, they want to see you play hard and compete, and I think that this team embodies that.”

The Thunder overwhelmed a formidable Nuggets team when facing elimination. It was a positive sight as this young group rose to the occasion in the face of adversity. Now, this franchise is in its first Western Conference Finals since 2016. And this group will be heavily favored to win its first championship going forward. But it will not be easy against Minnesota, which is back at this stage for the second year in a row.

Overall, Caruso will be absolutely critical in this upcoming series, as he will spend most of it defending Anthony Edwards. The Timberwolves superstar is hungry to make it to his first NBA Finals, but will need to be the best player in the series to make that happen. The pressure is on OKC to immediately defend home court on Tuesday. Luckily, with this group's depth, fatigue will be less of a factor than it would be for most teams.