LOS ANGELES — After contesting a 3-point try by Atlanta Hawks ahead De’Andre Hunter, Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James sought out a chance for a straightforward basket halfway by the second quarter.
He raced out in transition, fended off two smaller defenders and caught an entry go from D’Angelo Russell for a lay-in. A second later, Austin Reaves stole Atlanta’s inbound and located James with a behind-the-back go for an emphatic dunk that prompted a Hawks timeout.
James’ power and urgency had been on show throughout the 29 minutes he performed within the Lakers’ 136-105 blowout win on Monday. The victory improved the Lakers to 37-32 and allowed them to reclaim the No. 9 seed after the Golden State Warriors (35-32) misplaced to the New York Knicks earlier within the night.
James completed with 25 factors, seven rebounds and 10 assists on 10-of-14 taking pictures, mashing the Hawks within the paint and mixing in a few stepback 3s. He was engaged and energized, and it rubbed off on his teammates.
Fast arms & a Bron slam 💥 pic.twitter.com/DzYlC3PqSZ
— Los Angeles Lakers (@Lakers) March 19, 2024
It additionally was the second consecutive recreation James bodily overwhelmed and dominated a smaller frontline. After a disappointing efficiency in Sacramento final Wednesday, when he was quiet offensively and arguably the defensive participant responsible on roughly half of the Kings’ 19 3-pointers, James has scored 65 factors on an environment friendly 25-of-37 taking pictures over the previous two video games. In opposition to the Hawks, James relentlessly hunted mismatches in pick-and-rolls and isolations, bullied his manner by a number of defenders and refused to accept jumpers if there was a lane to the rim.
“Simply setting a tone, attempting to set a tone,” head coach Darvin Ham mentioned of James. “It’s cash time proper now. We’ve no time to waste. It begins with our two captains.”
Anthony Davis, the opposite captain, who returned after lacking the ultimate three quarters of Saturday’s 128-121 loss to the Golden State Warriors with a left corneal abrasion, had 22 factors, 15 rebounds and 6 assists in a team-high 31 minutes. He performed with none safety on his eyes, a choice he made after consulting with a number of docs over the weekend.
“I’ve been by that section in highschool,” mentioned Davis, who wore prescription glasses and goggles whereas rising up earlier than he obtained corrective eye surgical procedure in 2019. “I’m out of that section.”
Davis, who had blurry imaginative and prescient and a swollen-shut eye Saturday after absorbing a blow from Golden State’s Trayce Jackson-Davis, suffered an analogous harm in 2020. Since Saturday, he’s been icing his eye and spending most of his time in a darkish room. When requested concerning the harm, he mentioned he’s “figuring issues out” and has “to do a pair extra issues,” however declined to elaborate.
“I simply couldn’t see,” Davis mentioned. “… I believed my eye was like, open, but it surely wasn’t. It saved watering. It simply felt like sand was in my eye. So, it was simply higher closed and I couldn’t actually see.”
Russell, the third Lakers standout on Monday, had no bother seeing the ball undergo the ring. He notched 27 factors and 10 assists and made six 3-pointers, tying Nick Van Exel’s franchise report of 183 made 3s within the 1994-95 season. Van Exel set his longstanding report in 80 video games; Russell solely wanted 64 to match.
“It’s actually cool to only be part of one thing like that,” Russell mentioned. “I believe I did one thing like that in Brooklyn, as nicely. Simply to get credit score to your recreation and what you’re employed by, and showcase it each evening.”
Russell set the Brooklyn Nets’ franchise report for 3s with 234 within the 2018-19 season. The subsequent time he makes a 3-pointer for the Lakers, he’ll be their single-season report holder, too.
This season, Russell is taking pictures a career-best 42.4 p.c on 3s, the Eleventh-best mark within the league amongst gamers with no less than 150 makes an attempt. He’s additionally 14th within the NBA in whole 3s made.
“He’s arms down one of the best shooter on our crew,” Ham mentioned. “I needed him to be aggressive from the 3-point line as a lot as attainable. He’s proven (within the) common season (and) playoffs these spurts that he can go on from the 3-point line. (We) simply need him to remain aggressive. … His prowess from the 3-point line, it’s actually, actually elite, and we want each little bit of it.”
“He has a inexperienced room,” Ham added later. “Not a inexperienced gentle. A inexperienced room.”
DLO. LEBRON. AD.
The Lakers’ trio was hitting on all cylinders of their win over the Hawks!
Russell: 27 PTS, 10 AST, 6 3PM
James: 25 PTS, 10 AST, 7 REB
Davis: 22 PTS, 15 REB, 6 AST pic.twitter.com/1DtfCZhZvz— NBA (@NBA) March 19, 2024
Los Angeles can be off Tuesday earlier than returning to follow Wednesday to organize for its Friday matchup in opposition to the Philadelphia 76ers.
“There’s a few new wrinkles we wish to do on either side of the ball and we’ll get an opportunity to take a look at,” Ham mentioned. “… It doesn’t matter what’s occurring across the league, or across the positioning with our crew, if we don’t, once more, attempt to be one of the best model of ourselves and maintain our personal enterprise, nothing else will matter.”
The Lakers’ reserve heart will bear an arthroscopic process on his left knee and miss no less than a number of weeks, crew sources confirmed to The Athletic. ESPN was the primary to report the information.
Wooden has been out since his knee swelled throughout the off week across the All-Star recreation. He initially was to be re-evaluated roughly two weeks after the break.
The 28-year-old huge man is averaging 6.9 factors, 5.1 rebounds and 0.7 blocks in 17.4 minutes per recreation this season. He’s taking pictures 46.6 p.c general and 30.7 p.c on 3s. He’s on a minimal contract and has a participant possibility for subsequent season.
Wooden’s loss is notable given his dimension, size and defensive rebounding. L.A. has tended to play smaller, much less efficient lineups because the accidents to Wooden and Jarred Vanderbilt (proper midfoot sprain). Whereas Jaxson Hayes has been the crew’s finest backup heart for about two months, Wooden’s versatility as a rebounder and flooring spacer — groups nonetheless respect him as a profession 37.2 p.c 3-point shooter — was worthwhile.
It’s unclear if Wooden will return earlier than the tip of the common season on April 14 or the Play-In Match the next week.
(Prime photograph: Kirby Lee / USA At this time)