When Shai Gilgeous-Alexander shoots 7 of 23, you know it simply isn’t the Oklahoma City Thunder’s night. Add Chet Holmgren scoring just eight points, and a loss becomes even more likely. That was the story for the defending champions in Game 1 of the Western Conference Finals. The problem for OKC, however, was that it wasn’t a blowout defeat. They had multiple chances to claw their way back into the game, which only made the loss all the more frustrating.

The San Antonio Spurs were up by 10 with 9:10 left in regulation, but the game was tied three times in a span of less than two minutes. Both teams failed to take advantage, and the game ended 101 apiece, sending it to overtime, and it completely got to Alex Caruso’s head.

It was Holmgren who swatted away Victor Wembanyama‘s potential game-winner. Right then, both teams headed to their respective benches, and NBC’s camera crew followed to give fans a better look at their expressions. But Caruso pushed the cameraman out of the huddle even before the head coaches sat down to talk strategy.

The four-second clip showed Thunder security personnel further pushing the cameraman away. It could be seen as a completely unnecessary reaction from Caruso, but in the context of the game, it was understandable why emotions boiled over.

Right from the tip-off until the final horn in double overtime, Caruso was everywhere. In the opening moments, with OKC down 12-3, he connected on a driving layup over Wemby. On the other end, he was guarding the French center physically and even stripped the ball away before he could receive the pass from Devin Vassell. The 32-year-old converted a running finger-roll layup, which gave both him and the Thunder their seventh point of the night.

The Spurs dared him to shoot uncontested from downtown, and he obliged, finishing 8 of 14 from three and 11 of 19 overall from the field. He almost single-handedly kept Oklahoma City alive with his 31 points while also recording two steals and two blocks. He had the best playoff game of his career, but it ultimately went to waste as his All-Star teammates failed to step up.

SGA scored just four points by halftime before finishing with an inefficient 24-point outing. Jalen Williams was the only other starter to score in double digits, dropping 26. Meanwhile, Lu Dort, Holmgren, and Isaiah Hartenstein combined for just 15 points. It was a similar story from the bench, with the remaining reserves contributing only 19 points in Game 1.

Alex Caruso lauded for being everywhere in the Thunder’s loss to the Spurs

Víctor Wembanyama made it his personal mission to showcase his true ability on the night when SGA lifted the MVP trophy. The Frenchman created history, becoming the youngest player in the NBA (22 years, 134 days) to record at least 40 points and 20 rebounds in a playoff game. Battling him wasn’t easy for the Thunder. But it seemed Alex Caruso had the answer. Jalen Williams, who missed six playoff games, tipped his hat to his teammate.

“He’s a gamer, so whatever is needed, that’s what he’s gonna do… Obviously, he’s a huge reason why we won last year. But yeah, he’s just a gamer; whatever the game requires, he’s gonna be more than ready to be able to do it,” said Williams.

Even Gilgeous-Alexander acknowledged that the team failed to capitalize on Caruso’s brilliance. “I know what my teammates are capable of, what we’re capable of as a team when we bring it,” SGA said. “It’s just unfortunate that I wasn’t able to bring my best game tonight, but that’s how it goes sometimes. Sometimes, you’re your best version; sometimes, you’re not. You’ve got to roll with the punches, don’t get discouraged, and stay true to who you are.”

The game was tied once again at 109-109 before the Spurs finally took control and pulled away 122-115. It was a great start to a series many had anticipated since the beginning of the season, considering both teams won 62 or more games in the regular season. While this may be the Conference Finals, it already feels like an NBA Finals matchup.