Lakers Bench Was in Disbelief 😂

Sometimes, in the middle of a tightly contested NBA game, a single moment can send shockwaves through the arena—and have the bench losing their minds. That’s exactly what happened during the Los Angeles Lakers’ recent game, when an unexpected, jaw-dropping play left the entire bench in absolute disbelief—and the reactions were priceless. 😂

It all started in the third quarter of a high-energy matchup at Crypto.com Arena. The Lakers were in the middle of a solid run, chipping away at a double-digit deficit. The crowd was buzzing, the momentum was shifting, and then boom—Max Christie happened.

With the shot clock winding down, the young Lakers guard found himself isolated at the top of the key. With little else going on offensively, Christie sized up his defender, pulled off a filthy behind-the-back crossover, and launched a step-back three that had no business going in.

And yet—it did. Nothing but net.

The moment the shot dropped, the Lakers bench exploded. Anthony Davis threw his towel in the air, Austin Reaves had both hands on his head, and LeBron James leapt out of his seat with a look of pure shock and amusement. The camera quickly cut to the bench as players laughed, shouted, and stared at each other like they couldn’t believe what they had just seen.

To be fair, it was absurd. Not because Christie isn’t talented—he’s shown flashes of becoming a solid rotation piece—but because the move, the confidence, and the execution were straight out of a superstar’s bag. And it came at just the right time, swinging the energy completely in the Lakers’ favor.

“I ain’t gonna lie—I didn’t even know he had that in him!” D’Angelo Russell joked after the game. “That move was cold. He hit him with the behind-the-back, step-back like he was Steph or something.”

Even head coach Darvin Ham couldn’t help but laugh when asked about the bench’s reaction.

“That’s what makes this team fun,” Ham said with a smile. “These guys support each other, and when a moment like that happens, they genuinely get excited for one another. Max put in a lot of work. That move, that shot—he earned it.”

The viral clip of the bench’s reaction made its rounds on social media within minutes. Fans were loving every second of it, replaying LeBron’s animated reaction and AD’s towel toss over and over again. ESPN and Bleacher Report quickly posted it with captions like, “Lakers bench couldn’t believe this shot 🤯😂” and “Max Christie got the squad losing it!”

But beyond the laughter and viral moments, it also showed something deeper: this Lakers team, even with its superstar presence, has a camaraderie that’s genuine. When role players like Christie step up, the entire team gets behind them—and it creates an environment where confidence can thrive.

For Christie, the moment was both surreal and rewarding.

“I saw the shot clock, knew I had to make something happen,” Christie said in the locker room afterward. “I practiced that move a million times, but it’s different pulling it off in a game like that. Seeing the guys react like that—it meant a lot.”

The Lakers would go on to win the game, powered in part by the momentum from that very play. And while the box score may only show three points next to Christie’s name on that possession, the energy it sparked was worth far more.

It reminded everyone watching that in the NBA, anything can happen—and when it does, you better keep an eye on the bench, because they just might steal the show. 😂