Los Angeles Lakers Not Bothered By Possible Change In Playoff Format, Says Guard

The Los Angeles Lakers aren’t worried about the speculated changes in the NBA’s Playoff format when the league resumes the 2020 season. It was the bold statement made by Laker guard and fan-favorite Alex Caruso as he claimed: “We can play with anybody.”

The NBA is reportedly contemplating among four return-to-play-formats before officially lifting the hiatus to continue the rest of the season. As proposed to team owners, the said list of formats includes a 20-22 team play-in tournament and a World Cup-style group stage in the first round of the post-season.

But regardless of the league’s eventual choice, Caruso said the Lakers could not care less.

“I mean at the end of the day that’s really what it boils down to. That might be naive of me, that might be overconfident, but I just feel like we’ll be ready and I feel like we can play with anybody, so it doesn’t really matter who we play,” Caruso said in an appearance on Zach Lowe’s “The Lowe Podcast.”

The NBA’s targeted return is reportedly set on 31^st of July with the Walt Disney World Resort in Orlando, Florida being speculated to be the host venue.

Based on the latest accounts, meanwhile, the league is said to consider allowing a limited number of family members to join the players at the discussed location.

“Conversations have centered on the timing of family arrivals at Walt Disney World Resort, which are likely to start once an initial wave of teams are eliminated and the number of people within the league's bubble decreases,” ESPN’s Ramona Shelburne and Adrian Wojnarowski reported on Wednesday. “Family members would be subjected to the same safety and coronavirus testing protocols as everyone else living in the NBA's biosphere.”

Caruso and the Lakers sat at the top of the Western Conference with a 49-14 record before the NBA suspended the season. Led by LeBron James and Anthony Davis, the L.A.-based squad is looking all set to go deep into the Playoffs after a seven-year drought and capture the Larry O’ Brien for the first time in 10 years.

A former undrafted guard out of Texas A&M, Caruso has found his way on Frank Vogel’s rotation as part of the Lakers’ second unit. In 58 games played this season, the 26-year-old is given nearly 18 minutes of playing time per outing. The numbers on the stats sheet may not be as impressive with just 5.4 points, 1.9 rebounds, and 1.8 assists per game, but it is his unmatched charisma and natural energy, evinced by the crowd chants every time he steps on the court, that makes him a pivotal weapon for the Lakers and their successful run this year.