In this cold January, the NBA regular season is as hot as the scorching summer sun, and this time, we're going to talk about a game that broke the hearts of Lakers fans. Not to mention anything else, at 8:30 a.m. Beijing time on January 31, the Lakers challenged the Hawks back-to-back away, and the result was a big upset! The Lakers actually suffered a crushing defeat in this matchup with the Hawks.
First, let's review the Lakers' recent form. The team has a 24-24 record and is ranked 9th in the West, and it has been a period of inconsistent form, lackluster offense, and a decline in defense. James said in the interview that the team needs better communication and improvisation, and it is clear that the Lakers' problems are not limited to the technical and tactical aspects of the court.
The Hawks, on the other hand, have a 19-27 record and are only 11th in the East, but they have considerable strength on the offensive end, and they are a team that is good at playing offensive and defensive transitions and using secondary rushes to grab rebounds and score. Trae Young and Murray, as the core of the Hawks, although they have not achieved the desired effect before, they showed strong dominance in this game.
However, the Lakers also have a shining star in this game, and that is Russell, who has been on a hot streak lately. His recent form can be described as heroic, scoring 20+ points in 7 consecutive games, and contributing an average of 27 per game in the last 9 games2 points 64 assists, and the three-point shooting rate is as high as 50%. The rise of this young player has breathed a breath of life into the Lakers, and he has become a key figure in the team's ability to fight back in difficult situations.
Russell's performance was truly jaw-dropping. In this game, although the Lakers ultimately lost badly, his personal brilliance still shined. His three-point shot was almost flawless, and he was able to hit accurately from a distance or in critical moments, creating a great threat to the Hawks' defense. Even more impressive, Russell showed excellent playmaking skills on the field, 6The stats of 4 assists not only make him a scorer, but also allow him to play an important playmaker role in the team.
However, the Lakers looked a little struggling against the Hawks. First of all, Thick Eyebrows missed a game due to injury, and the Lakers' interior line was obviously affected. Although Russell played well on the offensive end, on the defensive end, the lack of thick eyebrows made the Lakers relatively weak in rebounding and interior defense. This also allowed the Hawks to score easily in the restricted area, which became an insurmountable hurdle for the Lakers.
The Lakers' three-point firepower from the outside is also not satisfactory, and this is one of the Hawks' strengths. In the game, the Hawks relied on back-to-back three-pointers from Hunter and Bogdanovic to take a 10-point lead at one point. The Lakers' three-point shooting became a big failure in this game, and the opponent's tough defense made it difficult for the Lakers to find a breakthrough in offense.
Looking back on the wonderful moments of this game, Reaves' 28 points and 6 assists are really impressive. James showed strong dominance on the inside, hitting the basket again and again to make the opponent unable to parry. However, these stellar performances don't seem to be enough to sustain the entire Lakers team.
The Eagles are on firepower in this game. Trae Young had 26 points and 13 assists, Murray had 24 points and 9 assists, Johnson had 19 points and 11 rebounds, and Bogdanovic had 18 points. Their three-point shooting percentage and offensive efficiency far outpaced the Lakers, making them difficult to resist.
At the end of the first half, the Hawks led the Lakers by 11 points at 67-56 and extended the margin to 20 points in the second half. The Lakers tried to close the gap in the final quarter, and the efforts of Reaves and Hachimura were impressive, but in the end, the Lakers abandoned the game early and eventually lost to the Hawks 122-138.
In this game, the Lakers' predicament and the Hawks' advantage were fully reflected in the matchup. The Lakers needed better team communication and tactical adjustments, while the Hawks won the game with a great offense and solid defense. It was a painful lesson for the Lakers and a moment for the Hawks to show their strength.
As fans, we're expecting the Lakers to find their groove in future games, while the Hawks have shown how competitive they are in the East. The fierce competition in the NBA makes every game full of unknowns, which is also the charm of basketball. Let's look forward to the next even more exciting showdown!