Hawks vs Lakers: Ben Johnson was part of the spotlight as the Los Angeles Lakers snapped their three-game losing streak with a dominant 141-116 win over the Atlanta Hawks on Tuesday night.
The Lakers caught fire early, building a massive lead and cruising to a comfortable victory. Los Angeles poured in 81 points during the first half, marking its highest-scoring half of the season. The team also connected on 19 of its 34 attempts from beyond the arc.
Deandre Ayton opened the scoring with a layup, but the Lakers surrendered a four-point play to Nickeil Alexander-Walker, who got off to a hot start with nine points. Ayton and LeBron James combined for eight early points, while Luka Dončić added five.
Rui Hachimura returned from injury and logged minutes early, scoring his first basket on a reverse layup. Los Angeles then went on a 10-0 run to grab a five-point advantage.
Nearly every Laker who stepped on the floor contributed offensively. Gabe Vincent knocked down three triples in the opening quarter, helping LA take a seven-point lead after one.
The second period began with five quick points from CJ McCollum, while Corey Kispert hit multiple shots to keep Atlanta close. The Lakers responded with a 10-point run to stretch the lead to double digits midway through the quarter.
Los Angeles shot 55% from the field and 56% from three in the first half. Dončić delivered an unreal performance, scoring 21 points while hitting five of six shots from deep. Jake LaRavia bounced back with 13 points after scoring only two in the previous game.
By halftime, the Lakers had completely taken control, holding Atlanta to 60 points while posting 81 of their own for a 21-point lead.
The second half opened with a basket off the glass by Smart, followed by a dunk from Jalen Johnson. Ayton scored five straight points as every Lakers starter reached double figures.
Los Angeles pushed the lead to as many as 32 points behind strong defensive pressure. Dončić climbed to 25 points, LeBron reached 19, and both Ayton and LaRavia sat at 13.
Atlanta surged late in the third quarter, scoring 10 straight points during a three-minute Lakers drought. Alexander-Walker drilled a three before LaRavia stopped the run with a layup.
Despite the Hawks gaining momentum, Los Angeles entered the fourth quarter with a 16-point cushion. LeBron opened the final frame with a midrange jumper, but Atlanta responded with five quick points.
The Lakers’ lead shrank to 11 after once being up by 32, as Atlanta tightened its defense and forced LA into tough possessions.
Los Angeles quickly regained control, scoring eight straight points and then adding another 11 to reestablish a comfortable margin and put the game away.
With 3:45 remaining, both teams cleared their benches.
Hawks vs Lakers | Key Player Stats
Dončić finished with 27 points, scoring 23 in the first half, along with five rebounds and 12 assists. LeBron James recorded 31 points, nine rebounds, and 10 assists.
LaRavia contributed 17 points, four rebounds, and three assists. Vincent added 10 points while shooting 3-of-5 from three-point range.
Smart posted 16 points, five rebounds, and four assists. Ayton delivered a strong performance with 17 points and 18 rebounds. In his return, Hachimura scored seven points.
The Lakers will next face the Charlotte Hornets on Thursday at 7:30 PM PT.
Ben Johnson remains a key search focus as the Lakers look to build momentum following this dominant performance.
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