Doncic Nears Triple-Double in Return as Lakers Beat Hawks
Doncic returned with 32 points, 8 rebounds and 10 assists to lead the Lakers to their sixth straight win, 114-124 over the Hawks.
Slovenian Luka Doncic came close to a triple-double (32-8-10) on Monday in his return to the starting lineup for the Lakers, who defeated the Atlanta Hawks 114-124, the sixth consecutive win for the Angelenos, leaders of the West.
Doncic was out with lower back soreness on Sunday in Detroit, in the Lakers' 116-121 win over the Pistons.
Reaves shines in Doncic's absence and Lakers depth makes the difference
In his absence, Austin Reaves led the Lakers with 42 points. But with Doncic back, it was the Arkansas native who rested, missing the game in Atlanta due to illness.
But just as in Detroit, only 24 hours later in Atlanta they overcame the absence of one of their two stars and dominated the Hawks from the first quarter to the end of the game.
Doncic finished with 32 points, 8 rebounds and 10 assists, getting closer to his first triple-double of the season. He was joined by Walker Kessler with 21 points and 10 rebounds, and Sandro Mamukelashvili with 23 points and 8 rebounds. Collin Sexton added 18 points.
For the Hawks, CJ McCollum scored 21 points coming off the bench and Nickeil Alexander-Walker added 20.
Turnovers doom Atlanta as Lakers lead the West
The Hawks' 19 turnovers were key, leading to 29 points for the Lakers, compared to the 15 Atlanta scored off the Angelenos' 14 turnovers.
With a record of 10 wins and only 2 losses, the Lakers are first in the Western Conference, chased by teams with similar winning streaks such as the Oklahoma City Thunder, the San Antonio Spurs or the Golden State Warriors.
For their part, the Hawks are fourth in the East, with a 7-5 record. EFE
