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Los Angeles Lakers: The unsung heroes of the team

By Gabriel Saavedra

NEW YORK, NEW YORK - JANUARY 22: Alex Caruso #4 and Anthony Davis #3 of the Los Angeles Lakers celebrate late in the fourth quarter against the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden on January 22, 2020 in New York City.NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images)
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - JANUARY 22: Alex Caruso #4 and Anthony Davis #3 of the Los Angeles Lakers celebrate late in the fourth quarter against the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden on January 22, 2020 in New York City.NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images) /
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LeBron James and Anthony Davis are the two marquee stars of the Los Angeles Lakers but the team wouldn’t be having the same success without certain players.

The Los Angeles Lakers sit atop the Western Conference. With two of the best players in the league in LeBron James and Anthony Davis. Yet, the other great role players don’t seem to be acknowledged much. The media AND fans need to appreciate these players more.

Avery Bradley

Avery Bradley has been outstanding for the Lakers. He has shot the ball well on catch and shoot situations while also creating his own shot or others with his ability to handle the ball. He has been on fire as of late on the offensive end, hitting his shots and impacting the game for the Lakers all in the right ways.

His defense is an integral part of this team as well. He guards some of the best guards on a nightly basis and does a pretty good job of it.

His defensive rating of 105.1 proves that Bradley is one of the most important defenders on the Lakers. He is willing to outwork his opponent night in and night out, and constantly hustles. Avery Bradley deserves more shine, for how well he has performed this season.

Kentavious Caldwell-Pope

Kentavious Caldwell-Pope had a rough start, to say the least. But since then, KCP has played outstanding; becoming one of, if not the, team’s best three-point shooter. He is shooting a career-best 41.5% from beyond the arc.

Although he is coming off of the bench, he still manages to put his heart out on the court night in and night out. He is just as important to the team’s defense as Bradley is in my eyes. I mean, he just nabbed the game-winning steal against Denver in O.T. on the 12th of February.

I would say the Laker fan base has grown a much deeper appreciation for KCP since his slow start to the season. All he needs to do is play his game and that can alone will help the Lakers come postseason time.

Alex Caruso

Probably the most beloved player on the team by the fan base, most of the time due to the memes. This is why I think Alex Caruso needs to be appreciated for his game more than the memes. Caruso has shown potential and flashes of greatness. He also is probably the best defensive guard on the team without a doubt.

He plays with a certain tenacity when given the opportunity. As, of late, I would say it’s looking better for Caruso. With Rajon Rondo being below average as of the past few months, Caruso gathers more playing time.

Which he is taking full advantage of. When Caruso enters the game the team flows much better with him on the court than Rondo, especially when LeBron is on the court at the same time.

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The only gripe with Caruso’s game is his offense. He needs to be a more consistent shooter and handle the ball a bit better. But, besides the room for improvement Caruso is actually a game-changer for the Los Angeles Lakers this season.

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