The Los Angeles Lakers delivered one of their most disappointing performances of the young season Saturday night, falling 121–101 to a severely depleted Atlanta Hawks team. While the Lakers entered the matchup without LeBron James and Austin Reaves, the Hawks were missing an even longer list of key contributors.
Atlanta played without Trae Young, Kristaps Porzingis, Nickeil Alexander-Walker, Jalen Johnson and Luke Kennard — four regular starters and the team’s most heavily used bench shooter. Even with so many absences, the Hawks controlled the game from the opening tip. Atlanta erupted for 37 points in the first quarter, built a double-digit lead early and never trailed. By the final buzzer, seven Hawks players had scored in double figures as they cruised to a 20-point victory.
For the Lakers, Luka Dončić again served as the team’s offensive engine. He finished with 22 points, 11 assists and five rebounds, though the performance marked his first game this season scoring fewer than 29. Jarred Vanderbilt provided a lift off the bench, posting 12 points and a season-high 18 rebounds along with a steal and a block.
Despite the quality of the opponent and the Lakers’ own injuries, the loss was unexpected given the team’s recent momentum. Los Angeles entered Saturday riding a five-game winning streak and appeared to be building rhythm on both ends of the floor. Instead, the Lakers struggled to generate consistent offense and failed to contain Atlanta’s rotation players, who capitalized on open looks throughout the night.
Starting center Deandre Ayton expressed frustration but emphasized moving forward. “This is the NBA. We’ve got 82 games… we’re ready for the next game,” Ayton said after the loss.
The Lakers continue their five-game road trip Monday against the Charlotte Hornets before facing the defending champion Oklahoma City Thunder on Wednesday.
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