The Los Angeles Lakers are again one of the best teams in the NBA and the favorite to win the NBA title, with LeBron James and Anthony Davis leading the way. LeBron and AD need good role players around them, though, and the Lakers have a star role player in Alex Caruso.
The “Carushow” has been a tremendous part of the Lakers' success, and he recently earned some high praise from head coach Frank Vogel:
https://twitter.com/hmfaigen/status/1356668641903747072?s=20
While Caruso isn't going to light up the box score, he's always doing the dirty work to help win games. Despite playing just 311 minutes so far, he's fourth on the Lakers in plus/minus. He has an even better net rating than LeBron.
This massive impact, even in limited minutes, is why Alex Caruso is one of the Lakers' best players.
Defense
Defense wins championships, and the Lakers' title run last year was anchored by their defense, especially in the bubble. This season, Los Angeles owns the best defense in the NBA, and it's especially stingy with Caruso on the floor.
Caruso is an absolute pest as one of the best defensive guards in the league:
Alex Caruso all by himself 💥💥
@ACFresh21 x #NBAAllStar(📺: @SpectrumSN) pic.twitter.com/c0Rhz8P3PM
— Los Angeles Lakers (@Lakers) February 2, 2021
His ability to read the opposing offense and adjust accordingly is second to none, and his switches and basketball IQ are top notch. He never gives up and brings that energy and tenacity on the defensive end that James and Vogel love, which is a huge reason why he ended up getting the start in Game 6 of the NBA Finals against the Miami Heat.
Caruso can change games with his defense:
Alex Caruso's 6 steals in 20 minutes last night. He came in and changed the momentum with his defense, helping bring the team back from big deficits and needs a lot more minutes going forward. pic.twitter.com/2d3rsibi1d
— Raj C. (@RajChipalu) January 26, 2020
Offense
Alex Caruso's offensive numbers aren't anything to write home about, but when your first two options are Davis and James, that's just fine. He's only scoring 5.6 points a game this year, but his field goal percentage is at a career-high 46.8% and his 3-point shooting is at a robust 50.0%.
The Lakers are a real big problem when he's stroking it like this:
I already tweeted about this, but I’m just so pumped up about this… Alex Caruso has been 🔥 from 3-point land, shooting 58.3% this season.
Oh, and here’s a video of all his made 3s. Count ‘em: 🎯🎯🎯🎯🎯🎯🎯🎯🎯🎯🎯🎯🎯🎯 pic.twitter.com/B2G7PFb9vP
— JMYo (@JediYoyo) January 16, 2021
Caruso is also a capable playmaker:
AD with the steal. Caruso with the find. Trezz with the finish. pic.twitter.com/i8VHM1uxXK
— LakeShowScoop (@LakeShowScoop) February 2, 2021
He's a slasher who always seems to make the right play. Who can forget Caruso's dunks that went viral the past couple of seasons:
Headband Caruso with the reverse dunk! #LakeShow pic.twitter.com/761KRwVrKQ
— Ballislife.com (@Ballislife) January 8, 2020
The Lakers found a gem
Alex Caruso went undrafted and was brought on for the Summer League squad in 2017, and ever since he has become a fan favorite. He's set to hit free agency in 2021 and should have a number of suitors, especially if the Lakers repeat as champions.
If he continues to make this kind of impact, Los Angeles will do everything in its power to bring Caruso back. The guard may often be outshined by a number of his teammates, but he packs a lot of punch when he's on the court and is one of the Lakers' best players.
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