The Los Angeles Lakers will take on the Atlanta Hawks at home tonight and look to avoid a three game losing streak after falling to the Golden State Warriors and San Antonio Spurs. After putting up a great performance against the Clippers, the Lakers have not been able to find similar success and will look to get back on track against the Hawks. The Hawks are coming off their first win of the season against the Toronto Raptors. The Lakers big men have a tough assignment ahead of them in Paul Millsap and Al Horford. Xavier Henry will be starting in place of a struggling Nick Young who will be coming off the bench.
First Quarter
The Lakers started off the game with Steve Nash and Pau Gasol missing on their first few shot attempts. Xavier Henry knocks down his first shot of the game and hit a 3-pointer off an assist by Steve Blake. The Hawks have not been to much trouble for the Lakers but have been able to knock down a few shots. Shawne Williams is able to connect on a jump shot off a pass by Steve Nash. Sloppy play by both teams with turnovers before Williams gets inside for a reverse layup. Midway through the quarter both Gasol and Nash hit a couple of three pointers each. The Hawks are able to score quickly after a timeout but Nick Young coming off the bench hits a three pointer to put the Lakers up by eight. The Lakers are shooting well from the three with Blake hitting one off a pass by Nash. Some great passing from Nash who hit Gasol with a beautiful pass who dunks the ball. Hawks get a couple of shots to go down on consecutive possessions while Chris Kaman hits a jumper to get his first points off the bench. A timeout by the Lakers brings in Farmar, Meeks and Johnson who hits a quick shot to give him two points in the game. Kaman hits a shot and the quarter ends with good defense by the Lakers who lead 33-22.
http://youtu.be/bUCasjcYRn0
Second Quarter
A strong start by the Lakers’ second unit with Young hitting a jump shot to give him seven points. Meeks scores off a layup while the Hawks are struggling and cannot score in their first three shot attempts of the quarter. After a timeout the Lakers play good defense leading to a shot clock violation by the Hawks. Meeks hits a three pointer on the offensive end but Jordan Hill is called for a personal foul giving Millsap two free throw attempts. Young is playing well on offense hitting a jump shot and getting Hill to score off a nice pass.
Al Horford get a shot to go down and Atlanta gets a small run going with a little more than seven minutes to go. The Lakers continue to shoot the ball well from the three pointer with another one coming from Farmar. The Hawks start to play better defensively giving the Lakers trouble on a few possessions while Horford gets a dunk to go down and is also fouled by Nash before a timeout is called. Henry attacks the paint getting fouled but only hits one of two free throws at the line. Korver hits a jump shot for the Hawks but they cannot stop the Lakers who are rolling offensively. Williams hits a three while Nash gets a layup to go down on the next possession. A bad pass by Jeff Teague leads to a steal and a foul puts Henry on the free throw line where he makes one of two. Nash and Gasol get shots to go down while the Hawks get a three and a couple of shots to go down with time winding down. The half comes to an end with a missed shot by Henry but the Lakers lead the game 62-49.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iT8p-PN_I3U
Third Quarter
The quarter starts with the Hawks missing a shot while Nash hits both free throws after getting fouled. Gasol gets an impressive slam dunk to give him 11 points. The Lakers are giving the Hawks a tough time offensively but they get a three to go down. Blake and Gasol miss their shot attempts while Jeff Teague gets a layup. The Lakers are now struggling a bit offensively with a couple of shots missed by Williams and Nash. Korver hits a layup and the Hawks bring the Lakers lead down to 10. Henry hits a layup giving him 11 points in the game. Nash also gets a shot to go down reaching 11 points as well while Williams gets a block on the defensive end. A timeout is called by the Lakers after the Hawks get a three pointer to go down by Martin halfway through the quarter.
The second unit comes in for the Lakers and Kaman turns the ball over leading to a layup by Horford. Henry hits a three pointer and Farmar gets a steal but the Lakers cannot take advantage with Johnson missing the tip in. Johnson gets a layup to go down while getting fouled and hitting the and one. The Lakers begin to take control of the game on a 8-2 run with Kaman scoring off a hook shot. Kaman is having a great quarter blocking Horford’s shot attempt and scores on back to back possessions to give him 10 points. Teague scores for the Hawks and it seems like the Lakers have cooled off a bit with Young and Kaman missing a few shots but Farmar gets a 17-foot jumper to go down. Hawks get to the line a couple times and Korver gets a three to go down. Three straight turnovers by Farmar to end the quarter but the Lakers are still ahead 88-76.
http://youtu.be/uPwSD8eAaqA
Fourth Quarter
Bad start by the Lakers with a couple of missed shots and a turnover while the Hawks bring the lead down to 10. Young hits a layup but the Hawks are fighting stay in the game with a three by Korver and a layup by Schroder. The Lakers are not doing a good job defensively with a the lead now down to seven points and Mike D’Antoni calls a timeout. Sloppy play by the Lakers out of the timeout turning the ball over but the Hawks could not score to bring the lead down to five. Another turnover by the Lakers with Kaman getting called for an offensive foul and is taken out of the game bringing in Hill. Both teams struggling a bit offensively. Young gets fouled hitting two free throws. The Lakers are in foul trouble with Johnson getting his fifth. Pero Antic gets a tip in to bring the lead down to five with a little more than seven minutes remaining in the game. After a number of missed shots by the Lakers in different possessions Henry finally gets a jump shot to give him 16 points.
The Lakers get a break with Horford turning the ball over and Hill getting a hook shot on the other end. Millsap hits a shot and gets fouled by Williams who has now fouled out of the game. The Lakers get good ball movement and Hill fighting for rebounds in a possession that ends with a 11-foot jump shot by Nash. Korver hits a three point shot to bring the lead down to four. The Hawks capitalize on a turnover by Hill and the Lakers’ lead is now only two. With a little more than three minutes left in the game the Lakers get a break on a traveling call on Horford but get no points off it.
With the lead just at four, Gasol gets to the free throw line where he makes one of two. On the other end Teague makes an quick move to the basket and scores on a layup. After two shot attempts missed by Gasol, Hill fights for the rebound and gets fouled hitting both shots. The Hawks get a three pointer and are now down by two but the Lakers get a big break with a backcourt violation called on the Hawks. Lakers do not take advantage and the game is now tied off a jump shot by Millsap.
With about six seconds left on the clock, Pau Gasol drew a blocking foul and headed to the line for two free throws. He knocked them down with the Lakers getting a stop on the Hawks final possession. Lakers win in a nail biter 105-103.
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VIDEO: Check Out What Mike D’Antoni Had To Say After The Win
