On the second night of a back-to-back in the Crypto.com arena, the Los Angeles Lakers were looking to earn their second straight win over Trae Young and the Atlanta Hawks. With the Lakers at full strength for tonight's game, they were able to secure an impressive win and move up to 4th place in the West at 20-14.
Since the Lakers played last night, fans were expecting a slow start in this one but the Lakers proved them wrong by opening the game on a 31-point first quarter. By halftime, the Lakers were up by 8 powered by a balanced scoring effort from the entire cast. The Hawks made some runs down the stretch, but the Lakers survived them all and came away with the 119-102 win in convincing fashion.
The Purple and Gold were led by LeBron James, who had another masterpiece with 30 points, 8 assists, and 3 rebounds on 13-20 shooting. Anthony Davis, who made his return tonight after missing the previous game, also turned in a great performance with a final stat line of 18 points, 19 rebounds, and 3 blocks in 37 minutes. In the backcourt, Austin Reaves finished with 20 points, 7 rebounds, and 6 assists on 6-18 shooting.
Meanwhile, for the Hawks, Trae Young carried his team with 33 points, 9 assists, and 1 steal on 10-22 shooting. Jalen Johnson dropped 19 points and 8 rebounds in 33 minutes while shooting guard Dyson Daniels contributed 13 points, 5 steals, and 4 assists on 6-14 shooting.
It's been a mixed season for the Lakers with all kinds of different emotions. But they've been able to weather the storm in these recent stretch of games to settle in the standings and finally play up to their potential. Tonight, we saw several factors that led them to the win and those same factors might help them make a strong playoff push in the spring.
Elite Play From Star Duo
The Lakers only go as far as LeBron James and Anthony Davis take them, and they were on another level tonight. James (30 points, 8 assists, 3 rebounds) was highly efficient on offense and he came through for the Lakers every time they needed a basket.
For his part, Davis commanded the Lakers' defense with 18 points, 17 rebounds, 3 steals, and 3 blocks in 34 minutes. He contested countless shots tonight and held the Hawks' starting big men to just 15 points.
With James running the offense and Davis leading the defense, the Lakers controlled every facet of the game tonight and showed once again why they cannot be counted out in the Western Conference. If Davis and LeBron can just stay healthy this season, the Lakers should be in a position to compete for home-court advantage in the playoffs this year.
Extra Boost From Newcomers
The Lakers recently traded D'Angelo Russell in exchange for Dorian Finney-Smith and Shake Milton. Leading up to tonight, it's been a slow transition for the newest Lakers but they proved their worth tonight by providing a major spark off the bench.
In 23 minutes on the court, Finney-Smith dropped 8 points (his best as a Laker) and 5 rebounds on 3-5 shooting. He was +12 in the game, the highest among all bench players. Milton, meanwhile, finished with 2 points, 4 assists, and 4 rebounds in 13 minutes of play.
While it's not the greatest stats for the former Nets players, it seems like they are starting to find their way and that's great news for the Lakers. At the very least, they showed that they can contribute to winning basketball, even if it's not by scoring a lot of points.
Dominant Defensive Performance
The Lakers have always been more of a defensive-minded team since acquiring Anthony Davis in 2019. This season, they rank 21st defensively but they showed some signs today that things might improve on that end of the floor.
Between Anthony Davis, Max Christie, and the Lakers' newest arrivals (Shake Milton and Dorian Finney-Smith off the bench), they managed to hold the Hawks to 41% shooting from the field and 17.6% shooting from three (6-34).
Under head coach JJ Redick, the Lakers have slipped on defense but if they can raise their effectiveness on that side of the court, it might be enough for them to secure a top-four seed by the end of the season. Ultimately, only time will tell how this season will go but defense will play a major role in their success, just like it has for the past five years.
Overall, the vibes are pretty good in Los Angeles with the team sitting at a respectable 20-14 through the first 34 games. But the hard work is only just beginning. As the season hits the halfway point, the grind will get nearly unbearable and only those teams with the most discipline and willpower can make it out unscathed.
Next up for the Lakers is a showdown against the Houston Rockets at 7:00 PM EST at Toyota Center. It's their first stop on a Texas road trip, which continues in Dallas on January 7th for a game against the Mavericks at American Airlines Center (7:30 PM EST). The Lakers will finally return home on Thursday, January 9th, to face the Charlotte Hornets at 10:30 PM EST at Crypto.com arena.
