The Los Angeles Lakers earned their fourth straight win on Friday night, jumping out to a big early lead and cruising to victory over the Atlanta Hawks. The win keeps the Lakers undefeated in 2023 and improves their overall record to 18-21.
As usual, LeBron James led the way for L.A. in his return to action after a one-game absence with a non-COVID illness.
James got off to a slow start but still finished with 25 points, seven rebounds and 10 assists on 10-of-19 shooting. He had a few of his usual highlight dunks to get the crowd going and was limited to just 33 minutes on the night, which is good considering the Lakers play again on Saturday.
It wasn’t just James that led the Lakers to victory though as a number of other players like Kendrick Nunn, Dennis Schroder, Russell Westbrook and Thomas Bryant all contributed.
Nunn had his best game as a Laker, which is good to see as he looks to build confidence after a rough start to the year. The guard had 23 points on 9-of-16 shooting in 27 minutes off the bench to go along with three rebounds, two assists and a steal.
Schroder also followed up his season-high 32-point performance with another quality game. He had 21 points, drilling five of his eight 3-point attempts with a number of them being very timely.
Westbrook nearly missed his fourth triple-double of the season, finishing with 18 points, 11 rebounds and nine assists off the bench. He also got it done defensively with a pair of steals and a block, allowing his team to get out in transition.
And finally, Bryant also continued his dominance in Anthony Davis’ absence with another double-double. He was a monster in the paint as he had 19 points, 13 rebounds, a steal and a block on 12-of-18 shooting.
Up next for the Lakers
The Lakers now hit the road for a quick trip, traveling to take on the Sacramento Kings on Saturday night. The Lakers are 0-2 against the Kings this season so surely will be looking for some revenge.
They then take on the Denver Nuggets on the road before returning home for a long five-game homestand.
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