The Atlanta Hawks’ West Coast road trip struggles continued against a red-hot Los Angeles Lakers team, as they fell 122-101 at the Staples Center.
To start the game, the Hawks were down 24-5 because of an abundance of turnovers and having no answer for the Lakers’ offense, led by none other than LeBron James, who finished the contest with 33 points and 12 rebounds, adding another double-double to his career total.
It was a rough start for the Lloyd Pierce’s team, as they gave up 36 first-quarter points and fell behind by 25 early in the quarter.The Hawks were able to compose themselves, however, ending the quarter on a 15-2 run to cut the deficit to a dozen.
The common theme throughout was the turnovers committed by the Hawks, giving the Lakers ample opportunities for fast break points. Trae Young was a constant scoring threat, like he usually is, and set up his teammates well for easy points.
Lebron James’ effect on the game was evident. The veteran superstar provided stout defense, making points hard to come by for the Hawks. The lead swelled and the Lakers had their own run just before halftime pushing the lead back up to 25.
The Hawks offense didn’t look the same without Trae Young on the floor and the defense was abysmal, providing no answers against a potent attack. At halftime, the deficit was 28, with the Hawks only scoring 41 points.
The Hawks started the second half on the right foot with a 21-5 run with some of their young core players, like Cam Reddish and De’Andre Hunter, stepping up big time. The defense was also much better, as the Hawks caused turnovers and scored some easy points in transition.
The potential of the rookies was on full display, as they showed flashes throughout the game of what they could be in the NBA. The deficit had suddenly vanished to a dozen in the third quarter, which caused Frank Vogel to call a timeout.
If the rookies can continue to contribute like this each night, it will take some of the pressure off Young and the offense will have more of a balanced attack. Reddish and Hunter combined for 24 points on the night.
Unfortunately, for every run the Hawks had, the Lakers had a counter punch and continued to increase the lead again and again.. Trae Young had 31 points and seven assists. The rookies Cam Reddish and Deandre Hunter contributed by combining for 24 points.
While the Hawks were ultimately defeated, the loss was not short of positives. The great thing for this young team is that they aren’t devoid of talent. The biggest thing is consistency, as head coach Lloyd Pierce alluded to in his postgame conference.
The important thing to remember about consistency is that it comes with time. As cohesion and team chemistry builds, it will lead to a more consistent bunch. The Hawks must continue to be patient and allow the talent to develop. Results will come later.
