Lakers stats: Thomas Bryant joins elite company with epic stat line

Jan 22, 2023; Portland, Oregon, USA; Los Angeles Lakers center Thomas Bryant (31) reacts after a dunk during the second half against the Portland Trail Blazers at Moda Center. Mandatory Credit: Soobum Im-USA TODAY Sports
Jan 22, 2023; Portland, Oregon, USA; Los Angeles Lakers center Thomas Bryant (31) reacts after a dunk during the second half against the Portland Trail Blazers at Moda Center. Mandatory Credit: Soobum Im-USA TODAY Sports /
facebooktwitterreddit

Thomas Bryant has only played 33 games for Los Angeles but his Lakers stats have already put him in elite company and made some franchise history.

Thomas Bryant has been a consistent bright spot for the Los Angeles Lakers this season, adding offensive skill and versatility to a lineup that often lacks it outside of LeBron James and Anthony Davis. But his monstrous performance in a 121-112 win over the Portland Trail Blazers Sunday night was the high point of his brief Lakers tenure.

As the Lakers completed a 25-point comeback, Thomas Bryant put up 31 points and 14 rebounds on 12-of-15 from the field and 4-of-5 from beyond the arc. Just seven other players in franchise history have managed a 30 and 10 line with at least four made 3s — Kobe Bryant, Davis and LeBron are the only players who have managed it more than once.

However, of that group, no one had ever done it with 15 shots or fewer as Thomas Bryant did. Kobe once did it on just 17 shots. Malik Monk, Antawn Jamison, Alex Caruso, LeBron and Davis have all done it on 19 shots. But when it comes to Lakers stats, no one can match Bryant’s efficiency on this stat line.

Thomas Bryant’s Lakers stats put him in elite company

This game was obviously an outlier for Bryant but you get similar results playing with filters for his Lakers stats across the entire season. Just 16 players have played at least 700 minutes this season, averaging a double-double with at least two 3-point attempts per 36 minutes. Of that group, Bryant ranks first in 2-point percentage, 3-point percentage and, unsurprisingly, true shooting percentage.

He’s been a huge boon to the Lakers’ offense and if they can just get Anthony Davis healthy they might have the frontcourt pieces to make a surprising playoff run.

THE WHITEBOARD. Subscribe to our NBA daily email newsletter. light

Check out The Step Back for more news, analysis, opinion and unique basketball coverage. Don’t forget to follow us on Twitter Twitter and Instagram and subscribe to our daily email newsletter, The Whiteboard.