Lakers Pull Away Late to Beat Hawks, 124–114

The Atlanta Hawks cut into a 20-point deficit but could not complete another comeback, falling to the Los Angeles Lakers, 124–114, at State Farm Arena on Monday night. The loss ended Atlanta’s four-game winning streak and dropped the Hawks to 7–5. Los Angeles improved to 10–2 and extended its winning streak to six games. 

Atlanta opened with energy and built a 19–11 lead in the first quarter. The Lakers answered with a 23–5 run, taking control and ending the period ahead, 31–22. Los Angeles kept scoring in the second quarter and built a 20-point advantage before the Hawks made a late push to narrow the gap to 68–57 at halftime.

The Hawks made their strongest push after the break. They outscored Los Angeles 33–27 in the third quarter, cutting the Lakers’ lead to 95–90 entering the final period. Atlanta continued to pressure the visitors and brought the game within four points late, but Los Angeles responded with a decisive 6–0 run. Luka Dončić scored on a driving layup and assisted on another basket during that stretch, helping the Lakers protect their lead. 

CJ McCollum led Atlanta with 21 points off the bench. He shot 8-for-15 from the field, 3-for-5 from three-point range and 2-for-2 at the free-throw line, adding four assists and one block in 24 minutes. McCollum also reached 17,000 career points, becoming the 111th player in NBA history to hit the milestone. He finished the game with 17,001 points, 136 shy of tying Grant Hill’s total. 

Nickeil Alexander-Walker scored 20 points and added four rebounds, four assists, two steals and two blocks in 34 minutes. It was his fifth straight game with at least 20 points, matching the longest such streak of his career. He also extended his career-best streak of double-digit scoring to 62 consecutive games.

Dyson Daniels contributed 10 points, eight assists, six rebounds and four steals in 31 minutes. The four steals marked the 43rd time in his career he had recorded at least four in a game. According to the Hawks’ notes, Daniels entered the matchup leading the NBA with 36 steals on the season.

Atlanta recorded 33 assists, giving the team nine games with at least 30 assists this season, the most in the league at that point. The Hawks also had 12 steals, their seventh game with at least 10. Both totals reflected Atlanta’s ability to create opportunities through ball movement and defensive pressure, though the Lakers’ shooting helped them maintain control. Los Angeles made 15 of 35 three-pointers, while Atlanta connected on 17 of 44. 

Dončić led Los Angeles with 32 points and 10 assists, along with eight rebounds, five steals and two blocks in 39 minutes. Walker Kessler recorded a double-double with 21 points and 10 rebounds, plus four assists, one steal and one block. Sandro Mamukelashvili scored 23 points, making five of his eight three-point attempts. Collin Sexton added 18 points and six assists off the bench. 

The Hawks had one last chance to make the finish closer. McCollum hit a three-pointer with 1:12 remaining to cut the score to 121–114. Matisse Thybulle answered with a three for Los Angeles with 52.9 seconds left, pushing the margin back to 10. Atlanta could not close the gap in the final seconds.

Onyeka Okongwu finished with 16 points and nine rebounds, while Aaron Wiggins added 15 points. Atlanta ended the night with 40 field goals on 88 attempts and 33 assists. The Hawks’ 12 steals helped generate 20 fast-break points, three more than the Lakers’ 17, but Los Angeles held the edge in points in the paint, 52–42. 

The loss came one game after Atlanta erased a 17-point deficit to defeat Brooklyn. Against Los Angeles, the Hawks again showed resilience by reducing a large margin, but the Lakers’ second-quarter surge and late response proved difficult to overcome. The result offered another reminder of how quickly momentum can shift in the NBA. Atlanta’s third-quarter effort brought the team close, but the Hawks needed more stops and made shots in the final period to finish the comeback.

The Lakers’ balanced scoring and timely execution helped them avoid giving Atlanta another chance to take control. Dončić organized the offense while Kessler provided an efficient presence inside, and Mamukelashvili’s long-range shooting stretched the defense. For the Hawks, McCollum’s production off the bench and Daniels’ defense kept them competitive, while Alexander-Walker continued his steady scoring run.

Atlanta will now look to regroup on the road and carry its ball movement and defensive pressure into its next matchup. The Hawks have shown they can rally when facing a large deficit, but sustaining that effort earlier in games will be important as the schedule continues.

Up next: Atlanta hits the road to face the Chicago Bulls on Friday, Nov. 13, at the United Center. Tipoff is scheduled for 7 p.m. CT (8 p.m. ET). The matchup is part of NBA Cup East Group C.