The Los Angeles Lakers are considered as one of the overachieving teams so far in this young season. Even if they have a talented young core, a lot of people aren't counting on them to have a winning record and reach the playoffs this campaign.
But seven games into the season, they have turned a lot of heads and currently own a 4-3 win-loss slate. They are one of only seven teams in the Western Conference who are above .500 so far.
Much of the credit has been given to the likes of D'Angelo Russell, Nick Young, and Julius Randle, but the unsung heroes of the team have been their role players, who are currently averaging the highest combined points among all benches in the league today.
The Lakers bench is averaging 50.6 points per game, the best mark in the NBA. That’s 5+ points more than any other bench in the league.
— Serena Winters (@SerenaWinters) November 8, 2016
Leading the charge for their second stringers is third-year player Jordan Clarkson who has started the season on a very solid note with averages of 14.1 points, 2.7 rebounds, and 1.7 assists per game. The 6-foot-5 guard has accepted the role of coming off the bench and has been contributing consistently for the Lakers.
But even with a proven scorer in Clarkson as part of the bench, it's the ability of other players to step-up on any given night that has become the difference so far for them. Players like Brandon Ingram, Larry Nance, Jr., and Lou Williams are all ready to answer the call and produce when they're needed.
If the Lakers continue their ways and get a lot of production from their bench, they will be one of the sneakier teams in the league. It will also help them speed up their rebuilding process which could result in a playoff run as early as April next year.
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