This Bench Player Will Be Key to Lakers Championship Run

Few things are as important in the NBA Playoffs as experience. Championship runs require focus, energy and commitment in order to make it all the way to the Finals, especially so following a multiple-month long hiatus. Few players on the Lakers roster have quite as much championship experience as Rajon Rondo.

While LeBron James is the unequivocal leader in Los Angeles, Rondo may prove to be the bench piece that will keep the Lakers together, both on and off the floor.

Rondo's impact is not most evident in stats, as his twenty minutes, seven points and five assists a game are rarely going to represent the difference for the Lakers in the Playoffs. However, it is the intangibles and all that Rondo brings to the table beyond the numbers that is most important.

Few other players in the league possess the same court intelligence and awareness as Rondo. Many have remarked on his ability to get players involved, command a team and lead when others may be struggling. Rondo has seen it all, and as the LeBron and AD Lakers make their first postseason run, that experience will likely be turned to time and time again.

It is also important to note that Rondo's on-court abilities cannot be forgotten. While many times he may go silently, he has delivered in multiple big moments for Los Angeles, whether it be a game-winner against the Celtics, or unexpected twenty point scoring output. His assists will always be there as well.

If Rondo puts up numbers like this more than once, great! But if not, his experience and leadership will prove incredibly valuable as the Lakers look to claim an NBA Finals trophy.