PORTLAND – Alex Caruso knows how Hollywood works.
After all, the Bulls guard spent four seasons playing in Los Angeles, where “there has to be storylines outside the game that they have to run with.’’
Miscasting? That could be overlooked, as long as the script reads well. That’s why Caruso knows what awaits him when he returns to his first NBA home this weekend, as the Bulls play both the Lakers and Clippers in back-to-back days.
“I just can’t escape it,’’ Caruso said on Friday.
All Caruso’s heard the last few months are the comparisons between him and new Laker cult figure Austin Reaves.
“There’s not a ton in common, and that’s what’s funny about it,’’ Caruso said.
The only comparisons Caruso could state off the top of his head were both players were white and both played for the Lakers. It ended there as far as he was concerned.
“He’s a guy that’s basically been in the NBA his whole career,’’ Caruso said. “I was a guy that wasn’t drafted, went to the G-League for a year, played in three Summer Leagues to try and get on a team, and still even then grinding my way to get minutes and carving a role out.
“He’s a really good player, too. It’s the world we live in. We live in a world of comparisons and that’s what it is. Plus, it’s a part of playing in LA. I’m sure he’s in the same boat I am. He’s probably like, ‘I’m just trying to hoop and have a good career,’ and he’s getting questions like that. It’s part of the league. Something dumb like that pops up and you just move on.’’
Being cautious
Could DeMar DeRozan have played against the Trail Blazers if it was a playoff game? Yes, but considering Portland was basically throwing a G-League team out there, the Bulls and DeRozan opted to give his sore hip another day to recover and have him ready for his homecoming in Los Angeles.
“Same thing he’s been dealing with, that kind of thigh, hip area there on the side,’’ coach Billy Donovan said. “He got treatment [Thursday], he came over here early before [Friday] shootaround, kind of worked through it. I think he’s definitely feeling better, but they just want to be cautious with him just based on his history and what’s happened, because he’s been out twice with this. I don’t think it’s at the level it was right before we went to Paris. DeMar just knowing his body caught it sooner than that.’’
The good news was DeRozan was able to come to the Moda Center before the shootaround and get his own shots up.
As long as he can do some work in the scheduled Saturday practice at USC, he should be a go on Sunday against the Lakers.
Playing defense
No Bulls player has defended Patrick Williams and his inconsistencies more than DeRozan, and with Williams again putting up very mediocre numbers lately, DeRozan wasn’t changing his tune.
“He’s coming along,’’ DeRozan said recently. “Staying on him, pushing him, giving him advice, but making it fun at the same time. Sometimes it takes a lot of that to unlock what’s inside of you, and then you can start having games like he did [in Denver when he scored 18]. It’s about following it up consistently.’’
Entering the Portland game, Williams has scored in single digits in four of his last six games, including just three points in the win over the Rockets two weeks ago.