Los Angeles Lakers: 6 Lessons in preseason loss to Brooklyn
By Ronald Agers
The Los Angeles Lakers traded their “young core”. It doesn’t mean they don’t have young talent.
Sure the Lakers gave up a ton sending Lonzo Ball, Brandon Ingram, Josh Hart among a ton of picks for Davis. However, that doesn’t mean that they don’t have promising young players to develop. While the veterans are making runs for the NBA title, these players could be on a NBA roster down the road. One player that paved the road, to success is Alex Caruso.
Alex Caruso:
Alex Caruso showed some heart in this game, rebounding from a slow start that included being sent to the floor with a violent DeAndre Jordan block. But the one thing Caruso is going to do every night guaranteed is play hard. After getting his shot blocked, he had the presence of mind to foul Jordan and send him to the line. It actually worked when Jordan missed the free throw. Caruso was probably the only perimeter player to compete on the defensive end of the floor.
His hard work kept the Lakers in the game down the stretch against a couple of Nets starters, as he finished with 11 points, 8 assists, 3 steals. He did not shoot well, only hitting 4-for-12 from the field, but Caruso provided the little things the Lakers need to flourish this season.
https://twitter.com/Lakers/status/1182274784740048901
Zach Norvell Jr.:
One young player to watch for the rest of the preseason is two-way contract rookie Zach Norvell Jr. He surprised the Nets with timely shooting that netted 7 points over the final 13 minutes of regulation that helped that Lakers almost force overtime if Caldwell-Pope’s jumper hadn’t gone awry.
Devontae Cacok:
Anyone still remember Jemerrio Jones? That was the under-sized guy that came out of nowhere and out-muscled big men for rebounds, collecting double-doubles along the way. Lakers fans, the franchise found his replacement. Cacok is a man under the boards. A couple of times, Cacok threw Jarrett Allen on the floor muscling him for a rebound and he took a tumble with Jordan forcing a jump ball at mid-court.
At 6’7 and 240 pounds, if he can move around the Brooklyn’s two centers, it speaks to how hard and strong this guy really is.
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