Alex Caruso Freakin’ Rocks

On Monday night, the Chicago Bulls moved to 7-3 with a significant statement win over the Brooklyn Nets. The Kevin Durant and James Harden Brooklyn Nets. You know, the ones that were tabbed as a preseason favorite to contend for a championship this season. DeMar DeRozan scored 28 points, Zach LaVine added 24 points, and four other Bulls (Ayo Dosunmu, Nikola Vucevic, Lonzo Ball, and Javonte Green) scored in double-digits in the 118-95 win over Brooklyn at the United Center.

But, the unsung hero of the evening, and many evenings through Chicago’s first ten games, was Alex Caruso.

Caruso scored five points and logged five rebounds, two assists, and a pair of steals in 23 minutes.

On most nights, no, Caruso won’t stuff the stat sheet. He’s averaging 7.8 points, 2.6 rebounds, and 3.9 assists per game this season, and he’s never averaged more than 9.2 points per game — as he did during the 2018-19 season with the Los Angeles Lakers — but the 27-year-old guard’s impact can’t adequately be measured by the box score, alone.

When the Bulls were making their fourth-quarter run that would ultimately down the Nets on Monday night, Caruso was tabbed to guard James Harden, one of the greatest scorers of all-time, and Caruso played a feverish brand of defense that forced Harden into a fourth-quarter line of 0-for-2 from the field with zero points, zero assists, and a minus 18 +/-.

Take a look for yourself because the eye test accurately measures Caruso’s impact on a game.

The eye test has to be his advocate, and if you’re not watching him night in and night out, you can’t appreciate his value. Hell, some people who watched him night in and night out didn’t even understand his value.

One of my younger brothers, Marc, is a huge basketball fan, and while he loves the Bulls, he’s also spent years watching the Lakers. He always talked up Alex Caruso, who, to out-of-town basketball fans, was nothing more than an odd-looking guy who came off the bench for Los Angeles and didn’t do much on the stat sheet. Well, that assessment was a case ‘out of town stupid,’ on my part. But, it’s okay, we all do it.

But the Lakers, they don’t have the out-of-town stupid excuse to lean on. So they watched Caruso help them grind out wins — and an NBA Championship — off of their bench for five years, and they allowed him to walk this summer – and they took some serious heat for it. Caruso had become something of a cult hero in Los Angeles and within the Lakers fan base in five seasons, and they still allowed him to walk this summer.

The Lakers deemed Caruso’s talents worth less than a two-year, $15 million offer. However, Billy Donovan, Artūras Karnišovas, and Marc Eversley saw things differently, and they offered Caruso a four-year, $37 million deal. A deal that made many in Chicago scratch their head, admittedly. After landing Lonzo Ball in a sign and trade with New Orleans, and with DeMar DeRozan, a legitimate possibility (that would come to fruition shortly after the Caruso signing broke), the idea of giving a bench player $30 million in guaranteed money did not make a ton of sense. That is if you weren’t familiar with Caruso’s game.

Here’s what Caruso had to say about why he ultimately left Los Angeles on the latest episode of J.J. Reddick’s ‘The Old Man & The Three’ podcast:

“Essentially we got that offer [from the Bulls], went back to L.A., asked if they could do the same, they said ‘no.'” Caruso told Reddick and Tommy Alter. “[We] asked for something else that was a little less, they said ‘no.’ So I said ‘okay,’ if that’s what it comes to, I’m ready to go to Chicago and start the next chapter.”

Well, thanks, Los Angeles. The Lakers, and their fourth-highest payroll, gave Dwight Howard, Wayne Ellington, Kendrick Nunn, Malik Monk, Rajon Rondo, Trevor Ariza, Kent Bazemore, DeAndre Jordan, and Talen Horton-Tucker a combined $31.6 million for this season.

(Photo by Getty Images)

Through his first ten games with the Bulls, the out-of-town stupid that made us scratch our heads a bit this summer has completely faded, and Alex Caruso has become a fan favorite in Chicago already. Endearing himself to a city that prides itself on its grittiness and relentless work ethic, Alex Caruso has taken a rabid Bulls fan base by storm, even with stars and stat-sheet stuffers flanking him in every direction on this new-look Bulls team.

Caruso’s motor is always running hot, and he will play hard on every possession. Scoring is truly secondary to the gritty guard. Instead, he’s worried about making an impact on the defensive end of the court, where he’s constantly playing a physical brand of defense that’s often unseen in the modern-day NBA game. Caruso told NBC Sports Chicago’s K.C. Johnson, “If I finish a game with no fouls, I probably didn’t play hard enough.”

Caruso’s dedication to defense has helped the Bulls turn into a team that can make stops down the stretch, especially when it matters. In the statement win over Brooklyn on Monday night, the Nets scored 17 points on 4-of-15 shooting. Last Monday, the Bulls held the Celtics to just 11 points in the fourth quarter, outscoring Boston 39-11 en route to a victory. Boston shot 5-of-15 in that fourth quarter. On the season, the Bulls have a league-best defensive rating of 95.6 in the fourth quarter.

The Bulls are fourth in the NBA with a 102.7 defensive rating this season. They also have the lowest turnover percentage in the NBA at 12.6 percent. They’re playing elite defense, and they’re taking care of the ball better than anyone in the league through the first ten games, a recipe for success that makes the Bulls legitimate contenders in the Eastern Conference this season. Alex Caruso has been a critical cog in Billy Donovan’s second unit and has played a significant role in those numbers.

We could sit here and talk numbers all day, but wouldn’t that defeat the entire premise of the eye test being the accurate measure of Caruso’s impact? If you haven’t been watching yet, you’re just going to have to start tuning in. So go ahead, get yourself a ticket to the ‘Carushow,’ I promise you won’t want to stop watching.

written by

Patrick grew up in Chicago's Bridgeport and Garfield Ridge neighborhoods before moving to the Western Suburbs of Chicago before eventually relocating to the Las Vegas area with his family in 2023. He started with Bleacher Nation in 2021 and has spent time as a Staff Writer and on the Chicago Blackhawks beat. He is currently a writer and editor at Bleacher Nation covering the Chicago Bears and the NFL at large and the author of the Bleacher Nation Newsletter. Patrick is a member of the Pro Football Writers of America (PFWA).

more bulls news

What Would be the Best Draw for the Chicago Bulls in the Play-In Tournament?

Nine games stand between the Chicago Bulls and the Play-In Tournament. I know ... yippie! Practically locked into the No. 9 seed, this puts them in line to host the No. 10 seed at the United Center in Round 1....

Best Defense of the Season, Playing Big, Javonte Green’s Instant Impact, and Other Bulls Bullets

Lose to the 14-win Wizards one game and hold the Pacers' elite offense to their worst performance of the season the next. Your 2023-24 Chicago Bulls, everyone! As I said in last night's Enhanced Box Score, I'm now even more...

WOW: Minnesota Timberwolves Sale to Alex Rodriguez Falls Through

The Minnesota Timberwolves dropped a bomb on Thursday morning. According to a statement released by the Timberwolves and Lynx ownership group, the franchise is no longer for sale. A transition of power was thought to be in place over the...

Enhanced Box Score: Bulls 125, Pacers 99 – March 27, 2024

I got to be honest, I'm even more upset about the Washington Wizards' loss. If the Chicago Bulls played like they did tonight, they would have beaten that depleted Wizards team by 40. This was a locked-in group from the...

Javonte Green Makes Bulls Return… Immediately Does Awesome Stuff

Javonte Green has officially made his Chicago Bulls debut ... again. The 30-year-old signed with the organization via a 10-day hardship deal on March 22. Injuries to Lonzo Ball, Zach LaVine, Patrick Williams, and Julian Phillips paved the way for...

WATCH: Alex Caruso Snatches Rookie Ben Sheppard’s Ankles

Alex Caruso will always be known for his defense capabilities, but he's showing a lot more than that this season. The veteran guard is averaging double-digit points for the first time in his career. A big part of that has...

Draymond Green Ejected Less Than 4 Minutes Into Game Against Orlando

Draymond Green was at it again on Wednesday night. Out East to take on the Orlando Magic, the Golden State Warriors watched Paolo Banchero bulldoze Andrew Wiggins to the rim early in the first quarter. As Banchero high-fived his teammates...

Pre-Gamin’: Indiana Pacers at Chicago Bulls (7:00 CT), Projected Lineups, How to Watch, More

Everything was awful on Tuesday. Be Better. https://twitter.com/chicagobulls/status/1772971933161705610?s=20 Game Info Indiana Pacers (41-32) at Chicago Bulls (34-38) – 7:00 p.m. CT on NBC Sports Chicago (TV) and 670 The Score (Radio) Projected Starting Lineups Chicago Bulls Coby White Alex Caruso Ayo Dosunmu...

Around the Association: Caitlin Clark Gets Big(3) Offer, Knicks Getting Help, Lakers OT Thriller, More

It's hard to believe we have less than three weeks remaining in the NBA's regular season, and we should be in for some real drama down the stretch. The Knicks have plenty to play for in their remaining 11 games...

WHOA: NCAA Looking to Ban Prop Betting on All College Athletes

As the NCAA men's basketball tournament gears up for the Sweet Sixteen, the college sports world received some big news. On Wednesday morning, ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski reported that NCAA president Charlie Baker wants to officially ban prop betting on college...

Latest News

Cavaliers vs. 76ers Predictions, Best Bets and Odds – Friday, March 29, 2024

The Philadelphia 76ers (39-34) are 8-point underdogs against the Cleveland Cavaliers (44-29) at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse on Friday, March 29, 2024. The game starts at 7:30 PM ET on NBCS. The matchup's point total is set at 212.5.Our computer predictions...

Heat vs. Trail Blazers Predictions, Best Bets and Odds – Friday, March 29, 2024

The Portland Trail Blazers (19-54) will attempt to end an eight-game losing streak when they visit the Miami Heat (39-33) on Friday, March 29, 2024 at FTX Arena as heavy, 14-point underdogs. The contest airs at 8:00 PM ET on...

Rockets vs. Jazz Predictions, Best Bets and Odds – Friday, March 29, 2024

The Utah Jazz (29-44) will try to end a seven-game losing streak when they host the Houston Rockets (37-35) on Friday, March 29, 2024 at Vivint Smart Home Arena as 7.5-point underdogs. The contest airs at 9:30 PM ET on...

Bulls vs. Nets Predictions, Best Bets and Odds – Friday, March 29, 2024

The Chicago Bulls (35-38) hit the court against the Brooklyn Nets (28-45) as 5.5-point favorites on Friday, March 29, 2024 at 7:30 PM ET on NBCS. The matchup has an over/under set at 214.5 points.Before you place an informed wager...

Suns vs. Thunder Predictions, Best Bets and Odds – Friday, March 29, 2024

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and the Oklahoma City Thunder (50-22) are 2.5-point underdogs against Kevin Durant and the Phoenix Suns (43-30) Friday, March 29, 2024 at Paycom Center. The matchup begins at 8:00 PM ET on KSBI. The point total is set...

Nuggets vs. Timberwolves Predictions, Best Bets and Odds – Friday, March 29, 2024

The Minnesota Timberwolves (50-22) are 6.5-point underdogs when they host the Denver Nuggets (51-22) in a battle between the top two teams in the Western at Ball Arena on Friday, March 29, 2024 at 9:00 PM ET on ALT. The...

Knicks vs. Spurs Predictions, Best Bets and Odds – Friday, March 29, 2024

The New York Knicks (44-28) will try to continue a three-game win streak when they visit the San Antonio Spurs (17-56) on Friday, March 29, 2024 at AT&T Center as big, 10-point favorites. The game airs at 8:00 PM ET...

Kings vs. Mavericks Predictions, Best Bets and Odds – Friday, March 29, 2024

The Dallas Mavericks (43-29) will look to Luka Doncic (first in the league scoring 33.9 points per game) when they try to beat De'Aaron Fox (eighth in the NBA with 26.5 PPG) and the Sacramento Kings (42-30) on Friday, March...

How to Watch Diamondbacks vs. Rockies: Live Stream or on TV

On Friday, Corbin Carroll and the Arizona Diamondbacks (1-0) take on Nolan Jones and the Colorado Rockies (0-1), with first pitch scheduled for 9:40 PM ET at Chase Field.If you're trying to watch this game, keep reading for streaming and...

Guardians vs. Athletics: Start Time, Streaming Live, TV Channel, How to Watch

The Cleveland Guardians (1-0), led by Jose Ramirez, visit Brent Rooker and the Oakland Athletics (0-1) on Friday, with first pitch at 9:40 PM ET.Find out how to watch the Cleveland-Oakland matchup below.When is Guardians vs. Athletics and when does...

more bulls news