Throughout his time in the league, Alex Caruso has developed a reputation as a hard-nosed perimeter defender who guards difficult matchups. There’s no question that his defense was key for the Los Angeles Lakers during their 2019-20 championship-winning season. The Lakers let him go during the offseason, and that has definitely made their defense worse. Caruso’s perimeter defense has also made an impact on the Bulls as well, who are currently 3rd in the Eastern Conference.
When asked about Alex Caruso, Steve Kerr called him “great” while jokingly adding that he was “really happy” when Alex Caruso elected to join the Chicago Bulls in the Eastern Conference. Steve Kerr is well-known as a defensive coach, and it’s clear that he views Caruso very highly.
Steve Kerr on Alex Caruso: “He’s great. I was really happy to see him go to the Eastern Conference”
— Rob Schaefer (@rob_schaef) November 13, 2021
While Alex Caruso’s defense didn’t do much to stop Stephen Curry’s offensive explosion against the Chicago Bulls, it was clear when watching that Caruso did his best to bother the point guard. Stephen Curry is a transcendent offensive player, and there are times where those players can simply disregard good defense with better offense.
There is no doubt that it takes a certain level of dedication to play defense the way Caruso does, and there are few in the league who can match his intensity on that end of the floor. Caruso has previously expressed the notion that in his mind if he finishes a game without committing a foul, then he hasn’t played hard enough. You’d rather have a defender that’s active and commits a few fouls, rather than someone who is lackadaisical on the perimeter and isn’t aggressive in guarding their matchup.
The Chicago Bulls will need Alex Caruso to continue playing his role as a perimeter stopper throughout the whole season, and he has definitely excelled thus far. Hopefully, he can help the Chicago Bulls make it back to the playoffs, and they are on track to do so.
