The Los Angeles Lakers will look to shed their inconsistency when they play the Atlanta Hawks at the Philips Arena on Friday. The former have lost five of their last six games, and the stretch gets even more challenging without Anthony Davis suiting up for them.
The Hawks aren’t in a great position themselves. They’re placed ninth in the East with a 17-18 record, but if the playoffs were tomorrow, they’d still be in contention for a play-in spot. Along with the tensions in the locker room, they have been on a sine-wave run losing three of their last five games.
The hosts might see the return of their star Trae Young, who missed the previous game due to a calf issue. Prior to the break, he was averaging 30.0 points and 10.2 assists in his last five games. His ability to knock down shots in the clutch might hurt the Lakers if he heats up on Friday.
It’s not been a great run for Los Angeles since the time Davis was ruled out due to a stress fracture he sustained against the Denver Nuggets. They’re 2-5 in his absence, and despite LeBron James putting up solid numbers, it hasn’t been enough to help the team close out winnable contests.
Ahead of the marquee matchup, here’s a look at the probable starters, the injury report, and the predictions from both camps.
Atlanta Hawks Expected Lineups And Injuries Updates
As mentioned, Young has been listed as probable for the clash against the Lakers. The Hawks will miss the services of Clint Capela (calf), while De’Andre Hunter (ankle) is listed as questionable. The rest of the Atlanta outfit is cleared to take the floor.
The Hawks starting five might see Trae Young (G), Dejounte Murray (G), Bogdan Bogdanovic (F), John Collins (F), and Onyeka Okongwu (C) run the start of play.
Los Angeles Lakers Expected Lineups And Injuries Updates
The Lakers will be without Anthony Davis. According to ESPN, LeBron James is listed as questionable with left ankle soreness, while Lonnie Walker, Dennis Schroder (foot), and Austin Reaves (ankle) are listed as day-to-day.
Davis will be re-evaluated in two weeks, meaning the onus is on James to take the floor, as he has proved to be their primary scoring option. However, with the veteran listed questionable, there’s every chance he might miss out on the clash or play limited minutes.
Expect the Lakers to field the same five they did against the Miami Heat earlier this week. Patrick Beverley (G), Dennis Schroder (G), Lonnie Walker IV (F), LeBron James (F), and Thomas Bryant (C).
Atlanta Hawks vs. Los Angeles Lakers Predictions
The Hawks head into this contest as favorites against a struggling Lakers side. The former have their own troubles with grabbing hold of momentum. They haven’t been able to go past two consecutive wins since November and have been erratic at times on both ends of the court.
James has been the sole driving force for LA averaging 27.8 points, 8.1 rebounds, and 6.6 assists per game, but even his efforts have failed to propel the Lakers to a better record. They’re 14-21 and placed 13th in a stacked Western Conference.
The bigger question is if the Purple and Gold have the answer to the Hawks’ backcourt, and safe to say whoever wins that battle will end up on the winning side. We’ll go with the Hawks to have this in the bag.
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