On June 20, the 2024-25 NBA Finals Game 6 was in full swing at the Pacers' home court. At the start of the crucial second half, the Thunder took the lead in making personnel adjustments. The head coach made a drastic change in the lineup, replacing starting center Hartenstein with defensive stalwart Caruso as the starter in the third quarter. This sudden adjustment in the starting lineup quickly sparked heated discussions from the outside world.

By the end of the first half, the Thunder were significantly behind the Pacers at home, and the overall offensive and defensive rhythm was suppressed by the opponent. Haliburton returned from injury but showed extremely high efficiency, while Siakam repeatedly caused damage on both ends of the frontcourt offense and defense, making the Thunder seem powerless on the defensive end. Faced with an unfavorable situation, the Thunder coach finally used a new strategy in the second half - replacing Caruso with a stronger sense of outside pressure and defensive vitality, strengthening the backcourt defense while also intending to speed up the overall offensive and defensive transition rhythm.

Caruso is a recognized defensive expert in the league, with strong single defense ability and rich experience in big games. During the playoffs this season, he appeared in key moments many times, providing energy for the team with his active fighting and steals. Replacing Hartenstein this time means that the Thunder temporarily abandons the traditional inside height and switches to a " small ball lineup " , emphasizing more defensive rotation and outside defense ability, hoping to cut off the Pacers' outside line connection and pick-and-roll cooperation by increasing the defensive intensity.

Hartenstein, who was replaced, provided rebounding and rim protection for the Thunder throughout the series, but his performance in the first half of Game 6 was relatively sluggish. He was repeatedly penetrated by the Pacers' breakthroughs or cuts on the defensive end, and his footwork speed could not keep up with the opponent's faster pace. The Thunder adjusted its personnel structure at this time out of realistic considerations of " fighting a last-ditch effort " .

This change of formation not only changed the Thunder's tactical direction, but also indicated that they were highly alert to the trend of the game and the state of the Pacers. With a total score of 2 to 3, Game 6 was a life-and-death battle for the Thunder, and they had to go all out to drag the series into a seventh game. The success or failure of this battle would directly determine their fate this season.