As LeBron James’ game-winning three dominated headlines to boost the Los Angeles Lakers over the Golden State Warriors, Los Angeles might not have been in that position in the first place if it wasn’t for Alex Caruso.
As James, Anthony Davis and Dennis Schroder shot a combined 4-of-28 from the field in the first half, Caruso finished all five of his attempts, playing a vital role in keeping the Lakers’ offense afloat.
In the second half, however, Caruso’s defensive prowess and improved passing shined the most, as he finished the game with 14 points on 6-of-12 shooting (2-of-3 3-point shooting), three rebounds, three steals, two assists and a block.
Head coach Frank Vogel trusted Caruso to close out the game as Schroder struggled on both ends. Defensively, Caruso either forced Stephen Curry into contested looks or made him pass the ball. His stingy hands jumped passing lanes to generate imperative steals as well.
Then on offense, Vogel deployed Caruso as the pick-and-roll screener for James, and when Caruso would receive the pass, he’d find the right teammate for an assist.
Vogel’s trust in playing Caruso crunch-time minutes alongside James and Davis paid off, with Caruso’s 30 minutes being the most of any reserve on the night.
After the game, James praised Caruso for his intelligence on both sides of the ball, even the ones that didn’t show up on the stat sheet.
* @KingJames on @ACFresh21, who was absolutely huge tonight: “His attention to detail. He’s just smart. Knows what we want him to do. Always in the right palce at the right time. He just makes plays. Some in the box score, some don’t. (Tonight they did).”
— Mike Trudell (@LakersReporter) May 20, 2021
Caruso’s role with Los Angeles has gradually increased every season, and with performances like this, he’s setting himself up to be a pivotal member of the shortened rotation L.A. rolled out in the second half.
Despite the terrific all-around outing, Caruso’s not staying focused on it too much. He’s ready for the bigger challenge lying ahead: the NBA Championship.
Alex Caruso said he’s not thinking about anything other than winning another title … not his big game tonight, which he called part of his progression. He’s thinking about the journey:
“We got a good ass team, like I told you a couple weeks ago."
— Mike Trudell (@LakersReporter) May 20, 2021
The Phoenix Suns, the first-round matchup for Los Angeles, boast two gifted, all-around guards in Chris Paul and Devin Booker. As Caruso showed against Curry, he can stick with the very best to give the Lakers a chance to win.
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