Los Angeles Lakers point guard Alex Caruso has continued to demonstrate why he deserves playing time and Sunday night was further proof of that.
When the Los Angeles Lakers are mulled over, it is easy to think about the primary reason as to why they hold such an impressive record. Dynamic duo LeBron James and Anthony Davis have been lights out for the team so far.
Davis deserves roaring applause after his monster performance in Sunday night’s win over the Timberwolves. The big man dropped an efficient 50 points, his highest total as a member of the Lakers.
While James and Davis are more than worthy of praise, another Laker has earned his place in the rotation this year. Granted his impact is not always visible in the box score, fan favorite Alex Caruso has played a key role for L.A. this season.
In the eyes of a more casual fan, the “Bald Mamba” has transformed into a spectacle of sorts due to his surprisingly decent vertical. Certainly, it is fair to note that Caruso carries an appearance that would never seem to suggest that. Nevertheless, the man has thrown down some thunderous dunks this year regardless of what his frame implies.
Things like his slam dunks have really pumped a lot of extra energy into the team this year. Caruso has come a long way after once being a two-way player whose minutes were rather scarce. However, he is now a regular piece off the pine for the Lakers, and he has done so much more for this team than dunking with the best of them.
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He is a really the type of guy who just leaves it all out there on the court. Caruso is tough as nails and makes the most of every opportunity he gets.
Albeit Davis stole the hearts of the Lakers faithful in Sunday’s victory, AC deserves some props for what he did on the court. With Rajon Rondo out nursing a sore hamstring and James in foul trouble, the guard really stepped his game up another notch.
Caruso played 30 minutes for the Lakers and tallied a season-high 16 points to go along with four rebounds and four dimes. He also gobbled up a pair of steals for Los Angeles.
Per Thuc Nhi Nguyen of the Los Angeles Times, Frank Vogel acknowledged the fact that the Lakers had a void without their “two quarterbacks.” Despite that, Caruso picked up the slack for the Lakers and really played quite well.
Frankly, this does not come as too great of a shock. The floor general has delivered time after time for the purple and gold, and when L.A. needed a lift on Sunday, he came through.
According to the same Los Angeles Times piece, Caruso spoke to the media and is confident he can keep this type of effort up.
"“The role I’m being asked to play, I think I’m playing it really well,” said Caruso, who added four assists, two steals and no turnovers Sunday. “I think I can continue to do that. Tonight was the role where I said I think I’m capable of, but on this team, I don’t need to do that every night.”"
Certainly, AC’s season stats do not necessarily jump out at one and cause their eyes to widen like saucers. Through 22 appearances, he is averaging 5.7 points, two boards and two assists per contest. If no one had ever seen him play before and they only saw those numbers, they would probably say “just that, huh?”
The numbers do not shed light on the full story, though. Yes, if his statistics alone are considered, Caruso does not necessarily look like a guy who should be in the headlines.
Be that as it may, the 25-year-old does so much more than, say, score the ball. Even though scoring is an important component to be mindful of, the man does so many little things for the Lakers. That cannot be emphasized adequately enough.
A large part of the reason Caruso has earned his place in the rotation has been due to his stellar efforts on defense. The point guard is extremely intuitive on that side of the ball and seems to sometimes predict what his man is going to do before it even happens. It has been pretty impressive.
Indeed, it is fair to mention that he is usually not going to be the fastest or strongest player on the floor. However, Caruso’s ability to consistently out-hustle and out-think the opposition have enabled him to get minutes night after night.
One thing that has been noticeable as well is that he is unafraid to draw contact. The “Bald Mamba” has drawn a lot of charges this season and is unfazed by whoever he plays against, even if they are bigger than him size wise. It is hard to be critical of a guy who is wired like that.
Moreover, it is worth saying just how smart Caruso is. He hardly ever seems to make a mistake and the fact he had no turnovers in the Minnesota game is validation of that.
Caruso has arguably been the Lakers’ biggest surprise so far this season. He is a pest on defense and just how engaged he is on every possession sheds light on how tenacious he is.
Sure, his outward appearance may not be the most intimidating, but looks can be rather deceptive. This key piece to the Lakers’ bench is evidence of that old-fashioned saying.
Many folks were curious as to what AC was going to bring to the table this year. Although that is true, the 6-foot-5 guard has proven he belongs in the NBA. He looks ready to rock and roll every time he steps onto the court.
Assuming Caruso continues to play at this type of level, there is no reason to think his minutes will decrease anytime soon. If anything, the opposite effect may end up transpiring. This guy is for real and he has truly proven his worth to the Lakers.