In his three seasons with the Los Angeles Lakers, Alex Caruso has felt the love from the team’s legions of fans and supporters. But with the team playing in the NBA bubble for almost three months, he can’t help but lament the lack of fans inside the playing venue as they continue their run to the title in the Finals against the Miami Heat. 

The 6-foot-5 point guard, who went undrafted in the 2016 NBA Draft before finding his way to the Lakers the following season, told Justine Termine and Eddie Johnson of “NBA Today Show” on SiriusXM radio that he knows how much fans of the Purple and Gold want to watch their team play, especially after a 10-year absence in the Finals.

When asked about whether he feels like he’s playing in the NBA despite the absence of the fans, Caruso admitted having fans in the stands is something that he misses. 

“You’re missing the fans. We hate that we couldn't be playing in Staples (Center) in front of the L.A. faithful cause we know how much they want to be there and support.”

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He added that despite having no fans in the bubble, the intensity of playing in the Finals kicks in once the game begins and the teams run through their plays. Caruso, who played with the Texas A&M Aggies during his college years, has made an impact for Los Angeles in the playoffs, averaging 6.8 points on 43.8 percent shooting, 2.3 rebounds, 2.9 assists, and 1.2 steals in 16 postseason games. 

The 26-year-old guard continued to make an impact for the Lakers in Game 1 of the Finals against the Heat, finishing with 10 points on 4-of-6 shooting while adding four rebounds and two assists in 22 minutes of play, helping the team overcome an early deficit and run away with a 116-98 win. He looks to help Los Angeles take a 2-0 lead over Miami in Game 2 on Friday night.