Surging Atlanta Hawks out to extend Los Angeles Lakers’ recent woes

ATLANTA – It is not hyperbole to say that the Los Angeles Lakers are enduring one of their worst weeks in National Basketball Association (NBA) franchise history.

After a 109-80 road loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves on Dec 2, Los Angeles were gashed by the hosts Miami Heat 134-93 on Dec 4, marking the team’s worst two-game combined margin of defeat.

The Lakers limp into the finale of their four-game road trip on Dec 6 (Dec 7, Singapore time) in Atlanta against the surging Hawks.

In the Dec 4 game, the Heat shot 57.8 per cent from the field and 51.1 per cent (24 of 47) on three-pointers.

LeBron James led the way for the Lakers with 29 points, as Los Angeles made just five of their 22 (22.7 per cent) three-point attempts and Anthony Davis missed 11 of his 14 shot attempts.

“There has to be some ownership,” first-year Lakers coach J.J. Redick said.

“When a group is not performing well, it’s easy to splinter and not want the ownership, particularly when it’s embarrassing. I’m embarrassed, we’re all embarrassed.

“That wasn’t a game that I thought we had the right fight, the right professionalism. I’m not blaming players. I own this. But there needs to be ownership on the court, as well.”

Redick had Los Angeles rolling to begin the season but has since seen the team drop six of eight games.

Davis, who had a season-low eight points against the Heat, leads the team with 26.9 points and 11.3 rebounds per game, while James follows with averages of 22.3 points, 9.0 assists and 7.9 rebounds.

James, who has said he wants to play every game this season, is listed as questionable with soreness in his left foot.

As for the Hawks, they are winners of five straight, most recently snapping the Milwaukee Bucks’ seven-game winning streak on Dec 4.

After falling behind 16-6 in Milwaukee, Atlanta’s balanced scoring effort led to their longest winning streak since the 2022-23 season. Jalen Johnson had 23 points, 13 rebounds and five assists, while De’Andre Hunter added 20 points off the bench. Hunter has eclipsed the 20-point mark in four of his last five games.

For Atlanta head coach Quin Snyder, the key to the winning streak has come on the defensive end. The Hawks proved that by allowing just 17 fourth-quarter points by Milwaukee.

“I think as much as anything, when we’re defending, that’s the ticket,” Snyder said.

“Whether it’s the first quarter, the third quarter, we just have to really commit to guarding. That allows us to get out in transition. Whether you’re making or missing shots, find a way to impact the game in other ways.”

Atlanta star point guard Trae Young has yet to find his rhythm, shooting career lows from the field (38.4 per cent) and from three-point land (30.6 per cent). His playmaking has not suffered though – his 12 assists per game lead the NBA.

Young paces Atlanta with 20.7 points per game, followed by Johnson (20.1) and Hunter (18.7).
REUTERS