The Los Angeles Lakers find themselves in an intriguing situation since they haven't played the kind of basketball that any of their fans or players expected this season.
As we have seen, when the Los Angeles Lakers struggle, the national media will be all over them since anything less than a championship for this organization is a disappointment.
Despite the Lakers' lackluster performance this season, there have been a few bright spots in the form of players who have performed better than many expected. Many of their players are in the older part of their careers, which might be one of the reasons why this team is underperforming. They just don't have the same energy that they did when they were younger.
LeBron James has been playing like one of the best players in basketball all season, and is a big reason why the Lakers have been able to keep afloat this season, as they're still at .500 with a record of 23-23. This Laker squad would be in terrible shape without LeBron James, and there's even a chance they'd be a lottery team.
Although LeBron James has been the driving force behind their minimal success, there have been a few unsung heroes who have stepped up and given the Lakers everything they have.
Let's take a look at the three unsung heroes of this year's Lakers team.
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Lakers Unsung Heroes 2022
3. Malik Monk
Malik Monk is one of the Lakers' younger players, which they don't have many of. He's been fantastic for them this season, hitting over 40% from three-point range on over five attempts per game. He's averaging 12 points per game and has been a key component of a Lakers' offense that struggles to hit 3-pointers at times.
Monk is one of those players that the Lakers need to play with LeBron James and Anthony Davis because they are players who force double teams when they have the ball. Monk is one of those guys that can spread the floor for this team, and when both of those players are doubled, he can make that outside shot that has proven to be a significant factor for the Lakers' future success.
2. Stanley Johnson
Stanley Johnson hasn't played in many games for the Lakers, but in the 12 that he has, he has been more than serviceable and has been a significant reason why they have been able to win some of the games in which he has appeared. He took over the fourth quarter of a game earlier this week and helped the Lakers sneak out a much-needed victory.
It's difficult to say if he'll develop into a high-level player, but he's one of those players the Lakers should consider as a key role player and someone who can be a backup at the center position if Anthony Davis ever needs a night off.
He received this chance with the Lakers because Anthony Davis was unable to play due to injury, and he has not only filled that position, but he has also been more than serviceable in the 20 minutes a night that he has played.
1. Carmelo Anthony
Because Carmelo Anthony has spent most of his career playing high-level basketball, there isn't much to say about him. He's always been one of those players who can come in and spark a fire on the offensive side of the ball simply by being a gifted offensive player.
Despite all of his honors and notoriety, he remains one of the NBA's most underappreciated players. He averaged over 25 points a game for most of his career.
Although he is no longer at that stage of his career, he has been able to play some excellent basketball for the Lakers this season and has far exceeded expectations. He's currently averaging 13.4 points per game, with a 40% three-point shooting percentage on six attempts per game. There are nights when he does not play well, which is to be anticipated given his age as he is 37 years old.
What he has done for this Lakers team, though, is truly remarkable because there are times when he can just take over a game and score 20 points, helping them win. This Lakers team hasn't had many bright spots this season, and Carmelo Anthony hasn't been a star, but he has been a serviceable role player who, if the right players can be added to the rest of the roster, will see an even bigger role and continue to help this team as much as he can on the offensive side of the ball.
The Lakers are in a tough spot, but if they can go out and make some moves, they will be fine. There is too much talent on that roster for them to struggle for much longer.
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