Rick Bowmer/Associated Press
Los Angeles Lakers guard Alex Caruso left his crew’s home sport towards the Indiana Pacers on Friday after struggling a head contusion, and he is being evaluated for a concussion, per Bill Oram of The Athletic.
Caruso suffered the damage after falling to the ground while diving to forestall a turnover and simultaneously passing the ball to forward Kyle Kuzma, who then hit a three-pointer:
The fourth-year guard out of Texas A&M had four positive aspects, two rebounds and an encourage in seven minutes earlier than exiting the game with 9: 55 last within the second quarter. Talen Horton-Tucker replaced Caruso on the court.
Caruso entered Friday averaging 5.8 positive aspects on 42.8 p.c shooting (40.0 p.c from three-point vary), 2.8 rebounds and a pair of.4 assists in 19.9 minutes per sport.
He played an integral half on last year’s championship crew, and LeBron James has generally sung his praises. He and mature point guard Rajon Rondo raved about Caruso during the crew’s playoff trot last year.
Head coach Frank Vogel moreover told Rohan Nadkarni of Sports actions Illustrated in February that Caruso’s “defensive instincts and athleticism in actuality reminded me of as soon as I mature to coach Paul George.” George, a Los Angeles Clippers forward and seven-time All-Necessary person, has made four All-NBA Defensive groups during his occupation.
Caruso had missed seven games this season earlier than Friday. Four were as a result of the league’s health and safety protocols (contact tracing), and two were for a sore good hand.
The seventh used to be by neck spasms after he got hit during a March 2 sport towards the Phoenix Suns. Crew crew labored on him on the sidelines, but he did no longer return, per Lakers reporter Mike Trudell. He then missed his crew’s March 3 sport towards the Sacramento Kings earlier than entering the All-Necessary person damage.
Caruso used to be moreover listed on the damage file as attainable with neck spasms earlier than the Pacers sport.
The Lakers might maybe maybe obviously ranking to be very cautious with Caruso on condition that he has now suffered two head or neck accidents within the previous 10 days. If he has to go out time, Horton-Tucker figures to look on the court extra. The identical might maybe maybe bound for Wesley Matthews.
