5 Reasons For Los Angeles Lakers Fans To Be Thankful In 2016

The Best Bench Unit In The NBA

Williams may be the star off the bench for the Lakers, but there’s a lot more to the second unit than just him. In fact, the Los Angeles twos may just be the best bunch of bench players in the NBA.

They’re currently averaging more than 50 points per game, and still have the highest defensive efficiency of any bench in the league (via HoopStats.com).

It’s a big part of why the Lakers are among the top scoring teams in the league, and why they’ve already entered themselves in the playoff discussion.

It seemed strange when Walton decided to move Clarkson to the bench. However, as we’ve seen through the early season, it appears to be the perfect role for the former second-round pick.

He’s averaging 14.9 points, 2.3 assists and 1.7 steals per game, and has connected on 47.1 percent of his shots.

We’ve already discussed Williams, and players like Larry Nance Jr., Brandon Ingram and Tarik Black also deserve credit. This bench unit has been outstanding up to this point, and should continue to shine as the season rolls along.

A big part of the Lakers’ success can be accredited to the bench’s play. If they make the playoffs this season, the twos will deserve a large chunk of the praise.