Los Angeles Lakers point guard Alex Caruso continues to see his stock rise after the third fan voting returns featured him at the No. 4 spot for the Western Conference backcourt in the 2020 NBA All-Star Game.
To no surprise, the Lakers have been well-represented in the fan voting with LeBron James and Anthony Davis currently heading the top two spots of the Western Conference frontcourt ballots. Meanwhile, Dwight Howard has also managed to maintain his position at No. 10.
The NBArecently revealed the full results of the third returns for fan voting in the Western Conference:
The third WEST returns from #VoteNBAAllStar 2020!
Make YOUR vote count twice today by voting here ➡️ https://t.co/KkbGhfwxpd pic.twitter.com/eDFrfEIWcf
— 2020 NBA All-Star (@NBAAllStar) January 16, 2020
Caruso made yet another jump since the second returns were released where he was listed at the No. 6 spot. He has now successfully managed to slide ahead of Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry and Houston Rockets Russell Westbrook.
It is safe to say that Caruso’s presence among such elite company has taken the league by storm. While his standing may be the subject of some heavy debate on social media, there is no denying the power that comes with being a fan favorite for the Lakers.
Despite having a reputation for wanting to shore up as much All-Star power as possible, this fan base has always held a soft spot for the underdogs on their roster that are able to defy the odds and emerge as bonafide contributors. The fact that Caruso’s votes continue to skyrocket with each ballot solidifies this notion.
The same can certainly be said for Howard after successfully managing to get back into the good graces of Lakers fans following his bitter departure the first time around. His efforts in the 2019-20 NBA season have since been reciprocated by a strong showing in the ballots and more importantly, a fully guaranteed contract.
Although it is encouraging to see fans show out for their players in what has been a stellar start to the season, the prospect of both Caruso and Howard starting is still far-fetched since All-Star Game voting is split between fans along with a combination of players and media. Fortunately, they can still take solace in the fact that James and Davis appear to be locks to start in Chicago.
The voting will continue through Jan. 20 before the starters are ultimately revealed.