The Los Angeles Lakers saw their five-game winning streak crash to a halt in a humbling 102-122 defeat against the Atlanta Hawks, a performance marked by defensive breakdowns, turnover issues, and inconsistent energy across the board. While Luka Doncic posted another double-double and several bench pieces contributed late, the overall outing exposed significant flaws that the Lakers will need to address quickly.
As we break down this loss, we’re handing out individual player grades for every Laker, examining who produced, who struggled, and where adjustments must be made moving forward. This is a loss that the Lakers would like to move on from, and we provide a grade for each.
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Luka Doncic: A
Game Stats: 22 PTS, 5 REB, 11 AST, 1 STL, 0 BLK, 7-17 FG, 4-10 3PT, 4-6 FT, 27 MIN
Doncic delivered numbers worthy of a strong grade, 22 points and 11 assists on a night where the offense practically depended on him, but his shooting efficiency wavered early, and Atlanta’s physicality forced him into tough step-backs and off-balance attempts.
Despite being the sole engine of the half-court offense, he also committed five turnovers that fueled Hawks runs. He kept LA afloat as long as possible, but the game was decided before he could reassert influence in the fourth, ending his night early.
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Jarred Vanderbilt: A
Game Stats: 12 PTS, 18 REB, 2 AST, 1 STL, 1 BLK, 4-9 FG, 1-2 3PT, 3-3 FT, 28 MIN
Jarred Vanderbilt was the Lakers’ most energetic and physical player by far, racking up a massive 18 rebounds and providing activity that the rest of the roster lacked. He battled on the offensive glass, sprinted the floor, and defended with intensity.
His scoring efficiency was solid, and he even hit a three-pointer to bolster the offense. While his defensive impact wasn’t enough to shift the tide, his effort and production easily stood out.
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Dalton Knecht: B
Game Stats: 14 PTS, 4 REB, 1 AST, 0 STL, 0 BLK, 5-11 FG, 2-5 3PT, 2-2 FT, 25 MIN
Dalton Knecht provided a spark off the bench, knocking down threes and bringing downhill aggression that the Lakers desperately needed. His 14 points came in a variety of ways, and his efficiency from deep helped keep the Lakers from a deeper collapse.
Defensively, he still had trouble handling Atlanta’s ball movement, but his energy was one of the few positives in a lopsided loss. A B grade is well-deserved considering he made shots when most of the others couldn’t tonight.
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Jake LaRavia: B
Game Stats: 13 PTS, 5 REB, 2 AST, 2 STL, 1 BLK, 4-7 FG, 1-2 3PT, 4-5 FT, 23 MIN
Jake LaRavia quietly put together one of the more balanced performances among the starters, shooting efficiently and competing defensively with two steals and a block. His drives and cuts gave the Lakers occasional rhythm, and he was one of the few players who brought consistent effort.
However, he also had moments where he struggled to stay attached on rotations, and his impact waned as Atlanta’s offense ramped up. Still, his energy was one of the team’s bright spots.
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Deandre Ayton: B-
Game Stats: 11 PTS, 5 REB, 0 AST, 0 STL, 0 BLK, 5-5 FG, 0-0 3PT, 1-1 FT, 20 MIN
Deandre Ayton was perfect from the field, finishing a clean 5-for-5 with strong rolls and soft touch around the rim. Offensively, he gave the Lakers exactly what they needed in spurts, but the defensive end told a different story.
Atlanta repeatedly found success in the paint and created mismatches that pulled Ayton away from his spots. His effort wasn’t poor, but he didn’t impose himself physically the way the Lakers needed from their anchor.
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Bronny James: B-
Game Stats: 9 PTS, 2 REB, 2 AST, 1 STL, 0 BLK, 4-6 FG, 1-2 3PT, 0-0 FT, 18 MIN
Bronny James delivered one of his best scoring nights of the season, finishing efficiently and showing improved confidence on drives and spot-up threes. He competed hard defensively and made quick decisions with the ball, contributing to the Lakers’ late push.
While his minutes came mostly in garbage time, he displayed encouraging poise and progression. Perhaps Bronny’s energy could have been used earlier in the game if JJ Redick called upon him more consistently.
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Marcus Smart: C
Game Stats: 5 PTS, 0 REB, 0 AST, 2 STL, 0 BLK, 2-4 FG, 0-1 3PT, 1-1 FT, 21 MIN
Smart’s defensive activity was noticeable early, with a pair of steals and solid ball pressure, but he struggled to organize the offense and finished without a single rebound or assist. His two turnovers came at costly moments, and his presence didn’t provide the stabilizing effect the Lakers typically expect.
It was a low-impact night that mirrored the team’s broader issues in maintaining consistency. A C grade is warranted, considering Smart played 21 minutes and could not sustain impact over a long part of the game.
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Jaxson Hayes: C
Game Stats: 4 PTS, 3 REB, 0 AST, 0 STL, 1 BLK, 2-4 FG, 0-0 3PT, 0-0 FT, 17 MIN
Hayes contributed some rim-running value and finished his touches efficiently, but Atlanta’s spacing dragged him away from the rim, limiting his defensive presence. He had solid moments in pick-and-roll coverage and added a block, but his impact felt muted overall. He did his job in short minutes but didn’t alter the game’s trajectory.
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Rui Hachimura: C-
Game Stats: 8 PTS, 1 REB, 2 AST, 0 STL, 0 BLK, 3-9 FG, 2-3 3PT, 0-0 FT, 23 MIN
Hachimura opened with strong aggression, scoring five of LA’s first 12 points, but after that brief burst, he faded from the offensive picture and struggled defensively. His 3-of-9 shooting reflects the inconsistency, and he wasn’t able to make an impact on the glass or slow down Atlanta’s wings, finishing with a team-worst -28.
On a night where LA desperately needed a two-way presence from its forwards, he wasn’t able to provide it. As the third option tonight, Rui could not impact the game in any major way.
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Maxi Kleber: C-
Game Stats: 1 PTS, 2 REB, 1 AST, 0 STL, 2 BLK, 0-1 FG, 0-1 3PT, 1-2 FT, 14 MIN
Kleber was quiet in nearly every facet aside from two blocks, which hinted at some rim protection value. However, he couldn’t stretch the floor effectively and contributed little offensively. His +3 was misleading, fueled mostly by late-game sequences rather than sustained impact. The Lakers needed more mobility and physicality from him in the middle, and the game quickly showed why.
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Nick Smith Jr.: D+
Game Stats: 3 PTS, 1 REB, 2 AST, 1 STL, 0 BLK, 1-8 FG, 1-4 3PT, 0-0 FT, 23 MIN
Smith struggled badly with efficiency, shooting just 1-of-8 from the field and failing to generate rhythm as the second-unit guard. While he did contribute two assists and a steal, his shot selection and timing were off throughout his minutes. His -11 reflected the offensive stagnation that occurred whenever the Lakers tried to create through him.
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Adou Thiero: N/A
Game Stats: 0 PTS, 0 REB, 0 AST, 0 STL, 0 BLK, 0-0 FG, 0-0 3PT, 0-0 FT, 2 MIN
Thiero logged just two minutes and didn’t record a stat, entering once the result was already sealed. He doesn’t get penalized for the lack of production, but the short stint offered little insight into his potential role or impact going forward.
