The Los Angeles Lakers just kept their incredible run going, gutting out a tough 124-114 road win against the Atlanta Hawks on Monday night to stretch their winning streak to a full six games. What’s even crazier? They did it shorthanded, with Austin Reaves sidelined by illness and Quentin Grimes out with a right finger sprain, and their bench absolutely exploded for a season-high 49 points. When you’re missing key guys, that kind of depth is everything, and these role players stepped up huge time.
The Bench Mob Takes Over Early
Atlanta came out swinging in the first period, grabbing the lead and momentum right away, with Onyeka Okongwu pouring in seven points and the Hawks going up by eight at the 6:53 mark. The Lakers were cold from the field, hitting just 3-7. Even Luka Dončić, who managed seven points in the quarter, coughed up three early turnovers. But then the bench started to warm up! Ziaire Williams got LA’s first basket with a triple, and then Cameron Carr, who saw minutes thanks to Reaves’ absence, threw down his first NBA basket, a dunk, assisted by Luka. Jarred Vanderbilt followed suit with another Luka-assisted dunk, and Sandro Mamukelashvili dropped a triple to put the Lakers up by nine. By the early second period, the Lakers were cooking, with Williams and Mamu both knocking down more triples. Collin Sexton was a huge spark too, connecting with Walker Kessler twice for dunks and racking up nine points and four assists. This surge turned into an extended 28-9 scoring run for LA, and every single Laker off the bench, except for Adou Theiro, had put points on the board. Sexton and Kessler helped push Los Angeles to a 19-point lead with 6:34 left in the half. This wasn’t just individual brilliance, either; the Lakers were opportunistic, scoring 29 points off 20 Hawks turnovers and dominating the paint, 52-42.
Holding Strong When Atlanta Pushed Back
Even though the Lakers built a commanding lead, the Hawks weren’t ready to roll over. They were down by as much as 20 at one point, but CJ McCollum and Nickeil Alexander-Walker combined for 12 points to start chipping away. Jalen Johnson took over from there, helping Atlanta cut the deficit to 11 by halftime. Coming out of the break, Williams tried to slam the door shut, hitting the first four points of the third period. But Atlanta still had that momentum from the end of the second, slowly clawing back. Dyson Daniels caught fire, scoring five points and helping the Hawks get within six. The offensive jets were fully on for both teams, with Alexander-Walker getting hot for Atlanta, dropping nine points. But the Lakers had their own answers: Luka and Mamu combined for 11 points in the third, ensuring LA maintained its lead. At the point the action was last recorded, the Lakers were shooting a solid 46% from the field, showcasing their offensive rhythm even under pressure.
This six-game winning streak, especially with role players stepping up big when the team is shorthanded, shows exactly what this Lakers squad is made of. They aren’t just winning, they’re finding ways to win when things get tough. It’s early in the regular season, but this kind of form, this kind of depth, tells you everything you need to know about their fight. Keep that momentum rolling!
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Silver Screen and Roll.
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