For any team dreaming of a championship, depth is everything. You can stack your starting five with stars, but when the bench can’t hold its own, the cracks eventually show. We’ve seen that story play out with the Los Angeles Lakers, Brooklyn Nets, and the Phoenix Suns. The Lakers, though, seem to have learned their lesson. This season, they’ve found someone who can keep the energy high when the starters take a breather — their new sixth man, Nick Smith Jr.

In the November 3, 2025, game against the Portland Trail Blazers, the Lakers were already without LeBron James and decided to rest Luka Dončić as well since it was the second game of a back-to-back. But even without their two biggest stars, the Lakers didn’t skip a beat. Nick Smith Jr. rose to the occasion, putting on a show with 25 po

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