The Los Angeles Lakers are undefeated when this one player hits a quiet benchmark

RC Nazemi

•
The Los Angeles Lakers are undefeated when this one player hits a quiet benchmark image

Mark J Rebilas - Imagn Images

Last night, the Los Angeles Lakers faced off against the Atlanta Hawks and got back on track, ending a three-game skid. 

The stars looked excellent with Austin Reaves still out, and the role players were great, as is not always the case.

The Lakers have had a tumultuous season to this point, with many questioning whether the holes that currently exist in the roster are too large to fix. 

Whether this ends up being a gap season or not, there have been some bright spots among the role players like Jake LaRavia, Deandre Ayton, and Marcus Smart. 

The key to winning more games could be hidden within that bunch, as the Lakers are currently undefeated when one of them hits a fairly pedestrian mark for their standards. 

Is Deandre Ayton the key to the Lakers winning? 

Through all the issues the Lakers have had this season, one bright spot has been the solid play of newly signed center Deandre Ayton. 

He hasn't been an all-star by any means, which has led to reports that the Lakers don't view him as a long-term solution at the center position. Regardless, he's been far from poor, and he might just be the key to victory for Los Angeles. 

MORE: Lakers fans think LeBron James wants Deandre Ayton traded because of a viral interaction

This season, the Lakers are undefeated at 11-0 when Deandre Ayton puts up at least 15 points and 10 rebounds. 

This isn't a small sample size either. At the 38-game mark already this season, those 11 wins account for slightly more than a quarter of the year. 

Obviously, the offense must run through LeBron James, Luka Dončić, and Austin Reaves once he returns, but it might behoove Los Angeles to put a higher emphasis moving forward towards getting Ayton involved early and often. 

More NBA news: 

Staff Writer