With Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Luka Doncic sitting out, the clash between the Los Angeles Lakers and Oklahoma City Thunder still had fireworks. The reigning champs tend to be physical with their opponents, and LeBron James and Co. were sure to face that music late in the game. Wrong calls by the officials only further ignited that discontent, but Alex Caruso was right there to sort things out.

“Yeah, I know, we were about to fight, you can see right here,” Caruso quipped about the situation involving James. “They were saying something to the refs, and then we were walking off. It was just clear in the air, and obviously, you can tell I’m smiling, he’s smiling, but the refs thought everything was, well, it’s crazy. There’s been like two fights in the NBA tonight, so I think everyone’s on edge. I think that’s probably what it was.”

It was Monday night mayhem in the NBA, with two fights in two separate games leading to seven ejections.

First, the Detroit Pistons’ 110-104 victory over the Charlotte Hornets was overshadowed by a chaotic third-quarter brawl that led to four ejections. Pistons head coach JB Bickerstaff, however, backed his players, Jalen Duren and Isaiah Stewart, and blamed the opposition for escalating the fight.

The Hornets’ Moussa Diabate and Miles Bridges got physical with the Pistons, and, aside from the four players, the game’s intensity eventually led to Hornets head coach Charles Lee’s dismissal in the fourth quarter for arguing with the refs.

In comparison, what happened between the Minnesota Timberwolves and Atlanta Hawks only felt like a minor scuffle that led to Naz Reid and Mouhamed Gueye getting ejected.

However, the situation between the Thunder and Lakers never escalated, and Caruso concluded with another witty remark.

“Yeah, this was probably the most intense,” the Thunder guard said.

Caruso’s nature is not new to the Lakers Nation. After winning the championship last season, he made a sly remark about his ring with the Purple and Gold from the Bubble.

“Yeah, now I got a real one, now nobody can say anything,” Caruso said with a smile in his post-game press conference.

This was not meant as a shot towards his former team, but towards people who perceive the Lakers’ 2020 championship as any less than other NBA championships.

“I had 3 beers already, it’s SARCASM!!” Caruso posted on X.

In fact, Caruso developed a strong bond with James during his stint with the Lakers, so the recent issue wouldn’t have escalated in the first place. However, the home team was clearly miffed with the officials.

Why Alex Caruso stepped in when the Lakers players were fuming last night

With about 8:30 to go in the fourth quarter, the Thunder led by just one point (98-97). Caruso knocked down a free throw, but his teammate, Isaiah Hartenstein, stepped into the lane, pulling center Deandre Ayton with him. And this call did not go in the Lakers’ favor. Instead of calling a lane violation on Hartenstein and handing possession to the Lakers, the officials instead called a dual lane violation, meaning the possession would be decided with a jump ball.

“It’s going to be a lane violation,” commentator Ian Eagle said on air. “But they got the wrong one. I think Hartenstein is the first one… He’s the one that initiated that, and he got Ayton to go early with him.”

Multiple Lakers stars were furious. LeBron James and Marcus Smart approached crew chief Josh Tiven, trying to appeal the call and explain what happened. JJ Redick also appeared to be angry on the sideline. This was just one of many calls that went sideways for the Lakers. That’s why there was unpleasantness between the teams and the officials. However, Caruso’s calm head defused the situation, or we might have had a third fight for the night.