LOS ANGELES — Talking frankly, the Atlanta Hawks had been simply what the Los Angeles Lakers wanted.
After a probably demoralizing loss to Golden State two days earlier, the Lakers discovered themselves in tenth within the Western Convention, not the place they — or anyone — envisioned them to be languishing with 4 weeks left within the common season.
However the Hawks had been a straightforward problem Monday in a 136-105 Lakers victory at Crypto.com Area. Anthony Davis efficiently returned from a watch harm, and D’Angelo Russell continued his smooth-shooting season with a record-tying effort.
Russell scored 27 factors and made six three-pointers, tying Nick Van Exel for essentially the most single-season threes by a Lakers participant. Van Exel had 183 within the 1994-95 season, a quantity unmatched till Monday.
“That’s one other stunning feeling, figuring out what this group means to me,” Russell instructed Spectrum SportsNet.
Russell additionally holds the document for many threes in a season for the Brooklyn Nets. He drilled 234 in 2018-19, the one time he was an All-Star.
Davis referred to as Russell’s season-long capturing acumen “phenomenal.”
“Clearly he can rating at will. He can get sizzling at any minute,” Davis mentioned. “He’s capable of get going, refill the stat sheet. It’s an enormous factor for him, large factor for us as a workforce.”
Lakers coach Darvin Ham mentioned Russell had loads of leeway to shoot as typically as desired as “fingers down the most effective shooter on our workforce.”
Ham then joked about giving Russell greater than only a inexperienced gentle to shoot.
“I need him to be aggressive from the three-point line as a lot as attainable. He has a inexperienced room. Not a inexperienced gentle. A inexperienced room.”
Davis had 22 factors and 15 rebounds two days after leaving the Golden State sport two days earlier as a result of he was poked within the eye.
“Simply couldn’t see. The corneal abrasion was truly like proper in the midst of my eye. It wasn’t like off to the aspect. So any time I’d look, it was simply blurry,” Davis mentioned. “Simply felt like sand was in my eye. It was simply higher closed.”
Davis mentioned the swelling began to recede late Saturday evening, and he remained in darkness so long as he may till seeing a watch specialist Sunday morning. Davis mentioned he wouldn’t put on goggles in video games as a result of he’d “been by way of that part in highschool.”
He didn’t want goggles Monday, making 10 of 14 photographs in opposition to Atlanta and sitting out the fourth quarter as a result of the Lakers had been to this point forward.
The harm information wasn’t completely the feel-good sort for the Lakers.
Backup large man Christian Wooden was scheduled to bear arthroscopic surgical procedure on his ailing left knee Tuesday and anticipated to overlook the remainder of the common season. Wooden hadn’t performed since Feb. 14 due to swelling within the knee and his absence left the Lakers with a skinny frontcourt — solely Davis and Jaxson Hayes had been able to enjoying middle for lengthy stretches.
Every thing regarded advantageous on Monday. The ball moved shortly and effectively for the Lakers, because it had many occasions this season. The Lakers accrued 39 assists on 52 discipline objectives, a formidable quantity in opposition to any workforce at any time. Even the hapless Hawks.
“The ball motion, to finish up with 39 assists, is large,” Ham mentioned.
LeBron James had 10 of these assists to associate with 25 factors.
Jalen Johnson had 25 factors because the Hawks (30-38) fell to 6-6 since All-Star guard Trae Younger was sidelined due to a finger harm.