Lakers' second unit is discovering the key to masking scoring woes

The Los Angeles Lakers have navigated the first six games of the 2024-25 regular season as well as fans could've realistically asked them to. With a 4-2 record, including three wins over teams that were in the playoffs or the Play-In Tournament in 2023-24, Los Angeles is off to a start that even the most jaded of supporters can applaud.

The unfortunate reality of the Lakers' success, however, is that the burden of scoring has fallen almost exclusively to the starting lineup.

Rookie swingman Dalton Knecht has been a welcome exception to the rule, producing a career-high 18 points against the Cleveland Cavaliers on Oct. 30. For as intriguing as Knecht's potential may be, it's simply unavoidable that poor reserves' overall quality of play on offense has been insufficient.

Through six games, Los Angeles' second unit ranks dead last in both points per game at 20.3 and points per 100 possessions at 27.6.

To make matters worse, the Lakers' bench also ranks No. 30 in rebounds, assists, and blocks per 100 possessions. It's No. 25 in offensive rebounds, No. 27 in steals, and No. 29 in three-point field goals made on that same basis.

It's been a consistently dreadful experience for the Lakers' second unit, but the recent clash with the Raptors revealed how they can temporarily compensate for otherwise poor production.

Lakers' second unit finally provides offensive value in Toronto

It'd be understandable if fans were unwilling to praise a second unit that scored 18 points on 5-of-13 shooting during the 131-125 win over the Toronto Raptors. From a pure scoring perspective, it was yet another horrific showing from the least productive bench in the NBA.

The silver lining to be found, however, is in the simple fact that the Lakers' second unit finally unearthed a way to impact the game in a positive manner.

Los Angeles' reserves combined for seven of the team's nine offensive rebounds against the Raptors. That effort was led by Jaxson Hayes, who tallied four points, six rebounds, three offensive boards, and two blocks in 15 minutes.

Max Christie added seven points, five rebounds, two offensive boards, and an assist in just 13 minutes in what may have been his best performance of the season.

The Lakers' reserves will need to find a way to generate consistent offense as the 2024-25 regular season progresses. As the shots fail to fall, however, there must also be ways for the reserves to provide dependable value.

Creating second chances and playing with a high level of energy can dampen the impact of the lack of ideal scoring numbers as JJ Redick schemes for offensive improvement.

Los Angeles could receive the proverbial shot in the arm when Christian Wood, who boasts a career average of 21.2 points per 36 minutes, returns from arthroscopic knee surgery. It may also find itself with more energy on offense when Jarred Vanderbilt resumes his role as the team's primary on-ball defender.

In the meantime, the Lakers need consistent energy, intensity, and offensive rebounding if reliable scoring isn't available to them off the bench.