Lakers: Biggest Takeaways From the First 20 Games

The Bench Is a Thing of Beauty

While ripe with young talent, the Lakers notably lack any real star power. With so many currently superstar gracing the NBA limelight, this has been a serious disadvantage for this Laker squad.

That is, until the subs enter the fray.

What LA lacks in elite talent it more than makes up for with its top-ranked bench unit. The five-man group of Jordan Clarkson, Lou Williams, Brandon Ingram, Larry Nance Jr., and Tarik Black are the highest scoring bench unit in the league. They play with an energy and cohesion that’s overpowered opposing reserves.

This highlights a unique aspect of the Lakers current roster: the talent gap between the team’s best player and the 10th guy off the best is marginal. When the bench comes in, the threat doesn’t diminish, it just changes.

Two of the team’s top three scorers (Williams and Clarkson) are reserves and nine players on the roster see between 21 and 28 minutes per game.

That’s called balance.

Williams and Black in particular have been superb, boasting the highest plus-minus ratings on the team among eligible players. Still, each individual piece of the Bench Mob is equally important, and their ability to understand their specific roles has been key to their surprising success.

Considering the struggles of the Walton’s starting units thus far, these role players  are largely to thank for the team’s impressive start. And for now, we’ll certainly take it.