The first action of the match allows us to get to the heart of the matter from the first seconds: a poster of Jalen Johnson on Austin Reaves who was trying to force the pass! The Hawks start with an 8-0, but quickly, the Lakers take the temperature with Anthony Davis present and also very good in his team's 15-2. Los Angeles dominates the first quarter (38-28).
While Jalen Johnson is multiplying the dunks, the Lakers are serious. It's not necessarily brilliant but there is control and the Californians return to the locker room with a certain cushion (73-59). In the third quarter, Clint Capela showed himself with his energy and his offensive rebounds. This gives the Hawks a little rhythm, but that is quickly erased by an 11-2 from LeBron James and his teammates.
D'Angelo Russell scored two winning baskets in a row, including the second at the buzzer, to conclude the third quarter (111-86). The matter is over a few moments later since the playmaker hits another 3-pointer, as well as Taurean Prince, to definitively rule out an Atlanta team not sharp enough to exist in this game (136-105).
WHAT YOU MUST REMEMBER
– Close record for D’Angelo Russell. With his six baskets behind the arc, the playmaker now has 183 3-point baskets this season. He thus equals Nick Van Exel's franchise record, established in 1994/95 and is better than Kobe Bryant (180) in 2005/06. If all goes well, the record will fall in the next match.
– Anthony Davis already back. Hit in the eye on Saturday against the Warriors, the interior will therefore not have needed to stay in the infirmary. He refused to wear protective glasses, the famous “goggles”, and with 22 points, 15 rebounds and 6 assists, he was reassuring.
– Ninth place in the Western Conference regained for the Lakers. With this success, plus Golden State's defeat against New York at the same time, Los Angeles regains its ninth place lost on Saturday evening. The run with Stephen Curry and the Warriors continues.
How to read the stats? Min = Minutes; Shots = Successful shots / Attempted shots; 3pts = 3-points / 3-points attempted; LF = free throws made / free throws attempted; O = offensive rebound; D=defensive rebound; T = Total rebounds; Pd = assists; Fte: Personal fouls; Int = Intercepts; Bp = Lost balls; Ct: Against; +/- = Point differential when the player is on the field; Pts = Points; Eval: player evaluation calculated from positive actions – negative actions.
