“He impacts us in so many ways” - Healthy Alex Caruso is crucial to Bulls' fortunes this season

The Chicago Bulls are a different team with Alex Caruso on the court.

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Alex Caruso's numbers may not be as eye-catching as those by some of his teammates, but his impact on the court is immeasurable. He's a leader in the locker room and oftentimes the glue that holds the team together. Chicago Bulls star DeMar DeRozan is well aware of Caruso's importance to the team's success, which is why they're doing all they can to ensure he's on the floor as much as possible this season.

“He impacts us in so many ways,” DeRozan said of Caruso.

Tremendous impact

On Monday, Caruso had one of his patented statlines with 12 efficient points on 5-of-9 shooting. The Texas A&M product also had four rebounds, two assists, three steals, and one blocked shot. Most importantly, he helped wear down Hawks star Trae Young, who finished the night with 21 points, on 7-of-16 shooting. The All-Star guard also coughed the ball up six times.

“I talk a lot about the things that go into winning,” Bulls head coach Billy Donovan said. “And a lot of times you look down at the stat sheet, and you look at points and things like that, and that’s obviously part of it. But there are so many other things that impact the game, and I think Alex does all those things.”

WELCOME TO THE CARUSHOW.@ACFresh21 | @NBCSChicago pic.twitter.com/qYDec7Y3Mh

— Chicago Bulls (@chicagobulls) January 24, 2023

Good health

Perhaps the most telling thing about Caruso this season has been his health. After missing half of the last season due to numerous injuries, including a fractured wrist, which came to be because of a hard foul by Milwaukee's Grayson Allen, Caruso has missed just four so far this season.

“I feel good,” Caruso added. “Anything that’s hurting right now is not out of the ordinary for anybody else in the league. Shoulder feels just about 100 percent from the last time we played Atlanta. Head is good. Knees are good. Feet are good. Hands are a little beat up, but that’s kind of the NBA. Anybody that doesn’t have a couple sprained thumbs or fat finger at this point of the year probably isn’t playing hard enough.”