3 lessons we learned from Lakers wild win over the Grizzlies

It's always fun to talk and read about big picture, long-term issues with your favorite NBA team. Many a basketball fan has stayed up well into the night to go down the rabbit hole of coaching rumors, trade speculation, college player scouting and social media investigating that encompasses much of modern NBA fandom. Sometimes though, it's just nice to stay up late and watch your team get a win.

Los Angeles Lakers fans had a nice little Wednesday night, because rather than be subjected to some random internet yahoo finding a creative new way to bash Bronny James, they were able to kick back and watch their team put on a show on national TV.

L.A.'s 128-123 win over the Grizzlies was entertaining no matter which team you were pulling for, but it also taught us a lot about where the Lakers, who are now 7-4 after the win, could go from here. Let's look at three lessons learned from an impressive win.

LeBron James isn't even close to being done

It seems that LeBron James can't go anywhere these days without being asked about when he'll retire. We saw the same thing happen toward the end of Tom Brady's career. For some reason, sports fans can't just be happy to see greatness in action, they also want to know how long they'll be able to see it for.

LeBron again spoke about the end of his playing days after Wednesday's game against the Grizzlies, saying, "One year, two years, whatever the case may be. I said the other night that I'm not playing until the wheels fall off. I'm not. I'm not going to be that guy. I'm not going to be the guy disrespecting the game because I just want to be out on the floor."

If anyone should be feeling disrespected, it's the players more than a decade LeBron's junior that he continues to school on the court. Wednesday's game marked his third consecutive triple-double, something no one else his age has ever achieved. Seems like we've been saying that a lot lately, hasn't it?

LeBron has been his typical fantastic self this season, but he's taken on more of a 1b role to Anthony Davis' 1a. With Davis battling through an eye injury against Memphis though, LeBron showed everyone that he's still got it.

It's a cliche at this point to say that LeBron did it all, but he really did. His 14 assists were more than twice as many as any player on either team dished out, but they weren't even his highest total in the last week (that would be his 16 on Sunday against the Raptors).

LeBron has taken his outside shooting to a new level this season, entering the game with a better than 44 percent rate from three. He was even better in this game, knocking down four of seven from beyond the arc.

He also scored nine of his game-high 35 points in the final 10 minutes to help the Lakers erase a five-point deficit entering the fourth quarter and pull away. Four of those points came on dunks in the final five minutes that sent Crypto.com Arena into a frenzy.

Maybe LeBron will retire in a couple of years, but he's showing on a nightly basis that his wheels aren't even close to coming off.

The Dalton Knecht that Lakers fans have been waiting for may finally be here

First-round rookie Dalton Knecht was proclaimed by many as the steal of the draft when Lakers GM Rob Pelinka selected him with the 17th pick. The First Team All-American from Tennessee showed off a polished offensive game in his final college season, and many Lakers fans imagined him as a bench scorer that would be capable of taking over games for minutes at a time.

Knecht built the hype even more with his preseason performance against the Suns, scoring 20 straight Lakers points at one point late in the game and 35 total as he led his team to an overtime victory.

The regular season is now only 11 games old, but Lakers fans have been waiting to see the version of Knecht that they glimpsed this preseason. The rookie has struggled with his shot so far. On Wednesday, he seemed to figure it all out.

LeBron was definitely the headliner on the night, but the Lakers also couldn't have won without Knecht, who scored a season-high 19 points on nearly perfect 7-8 shooting, while also kicking in two rebounds and three assists.

The Lakers haven't gotten much from their bench this year, but Knecht flipped the script with his performance. He led all players with a +17, and he clearly earned head coach JJ Redick's trust as he was given a season-high 31 minutes.

Other than having a new head coach in Redick, the Lakers are largely the same team as last year. Knecht is the one new guy with the potential to make a difference, and if he can play anything like he did against Memphis going forward, it could unlock a whole new level for this team.

Home cooking is the best cooking

With this win, the Lakers moved to 6-0 at home on the year. No other Western Conference team is undefeated at home, but it's clear that the Lakers like being in front of their own fans.

Crypto.com Arena was rocking as the Lakers pulled away in the fourth quarter, and it could be L.A.'s secret weapon as they vie to become Western Conference contenders.

The Lakers have beaten all comers at home, including the Timberwolves, Suns and Kings. Wednesday's game allowed them to get revenge on the Grizzlies for a game they lost in Memphis last week.

The only other NBA teams that are undefeated at home are the Cavs, who are undefeated everywhere, and the Magic, who have been the complete opposite on the road with a 1-6 away record.

L.A.'s ability to defend its home court is huge as it tries to navigate a loaded potential playoff field. Like Orlando though, they need to figure things out on the road, as they're just 1-4 themselves.

The upcoming schedule will give the Lakers a chance to prove themselves, as they'll be travelling to San Antonio and New Orleans for a back-to-back on Friday and Saturday. Both games are winnable, as the Spurs, despite being led by recent 50-point scorer Victor Wembanyama, are still just 6-6 on the season, and the Pelicans are just 3-9 and without Zion Williamson, who is set to miss weeks with a hamstring injury.

If the Lakers can continue to take care of business at home while stealing a few wins here and there on the road, it should be enough to get them a top-four playoff seed.