There were several question marks about the Los Angeles Lakers heading into the Play-In Tournament despite ending the 2020-21 regular season on a five-game winning streak.
The Lakers were decimated by injuries and had little time to get all their players acclimated before the playoffs began, which led many to believe they could possibly falter against a hot Golden State Warriors team. However, Los Angeles showed their mettle and pulled out a thrilling 103-100 victory over Golden State, securing their spot in the postseason.
Alex Caruso was one of the key players for the Lakers in their win as the guard played his normal brand of tough-nosed defense and made winning plays down the stretch.