Hawks Lakers Recap: Luka Doncic's 32 Points End Atlanta's Four-Game Win Streak

The Hawks Lakers recap is a story of a strong start and a late fade. Luka Doncic finished with 32 points, eight rebounds and 10 assists as the Los Angeles Lakers beat the Atlanta Hawks 124-114 on Monday, Nov. 9, at State Farm Arena. The loss ended Atlanta's four-game winning streak and extended the Lakers' own run to six straight wins, according to the Associated Press game report.

Atlanta entered the night 7-4, per our Hawks vs. Lakers preview, and now stands at 7-5. The Hawks trailed by 20 points in the second quarter and still pulled within four in the final minutes before Los Angeles closed the door. This recap draws on the AP report, the NBA.com game page and the CBS Sports play-by-play and box score. Remix Sports Media did not attend the game.

Hawks Lakers Recap: How Did Los Angeles Pull Away?

Atlanta played well early. Onyeka Okongwu hit two threes in the opening minutes and the Hawks led 22-18 with about three minutes left in the first quarter, per the play-by-play. Then the game turned. Los Angeles closed the period on a 13-0 run to lead 31-22, and Doncic had three steals in roughly a minute during that stretch.

The Lakers' lead grew to 20 points in the second quarter. Doncic set up teammates with eight first-half assists, and Walker Kessler finished three alley-oop dunks off Collin Sexton drives, according to the AP. Sexton's three-pointer made it 54-34 with 5:56 left in the half. Atlanta recovered with better shooting before the break and trailed 68-57 at halftime, based on the play-by-play.

The Hawks did not fold. A tip-in by Dyson Daniels in the third quarter made it 72-66, and Atlanta still trailed only 95-90 entering the fourth. Aaron Wiggins' three-pointer cut the margin to 100-98 with 8:55 remaining. Los Angeles answered with a Sandro Mamukelashvili floater and an Adou Thiero layup to push the lead back to six.

Daniels cut it to 115-111 with 3:30 to play. The Lakers then scored the next six points, a Doncic driving layup, a Ziaire Williams dunk and a Jake LaRavia dunk off a Doncic assist, to make it 121-111 with 1:51 left. The AP described that 6-0 burst as the one that put the game out of reach.

Who Played Well for the Atlanta Hawks?

Atlanta had several productive scorers, and the bench was a bright spot. Here are the key Hawks lines from the CBS Sports box score:

• CJ McCollum: 21 points on 8-of-15 shooting off the bench, the team high.

• Nickeil Alexander-Walker: 20 points, though on 6-of-19 shooting and 4-of-14 from three. For more on his recent scoring surge, see our breakdown of his Hawks offense.

• Onyeka Okongwu: 16 points and nine rebounds.

• Aaron Wiggins: 15 points off the bench, including 4-of-7 from three.

• Jalen Johnson: 15 points, seven rebounds and four assists.

• Dyson Daniels: 10 points, eight assists and four steals while serving as Doncic's primary defender, per the AP.

Atlanta's bench scored 45 points. Los Angeles got 49 from its reserves, led by Mamukelashvili's 23 points on 5-of-8 three-point shooting and Sexton's 18 points and six assists.

What Went Wrong for the Hawks Against the Lakers?

Analysis: the final score was close to a possession-by-possession story, but three issues decided it. First, the Lakers shot 15-of-35 (43%) from three-point range as a team, per the AP, and Mamukelashvili's outside shooting kept punishing Atlanta whenever Doncic drew help.

Second, the Hawks gave the ball away. The box score lists 19 Hawks turnovers, and Doncic alone finished with five steals. Los Angeles recorded 16 steals as a team. Several of the Lakers' biggest swings, including the 13-0 run in the first quarter, started with live-ball turnovers.

Third, the Hawks' comeback came without efficient shooting from their primary perimeter scorer. Alexander-Walker took 19 shots for 20 points. Atlanta still made 17 of 44 threes (38.6%), so the shot volume was there. The problem was too many empty possessions in the first half, when the deficit reached 20.

There is also context. Los Angeles was without Austin Reaves, who missed the game with an illness a day after scoring 43 points at Detroit, per the AP. Atlanta cutting a 20-point deficit to four against the Lakers, who lead the Western Conference, is a point in the Hawks' favor. Doncic's night also fits a larger pattern. We covered his record-tying scoring streak earlier this month in Luka Doncic Ties NBA Record Streak as Lakers Beat Heat.

What Is Next for the Atlanta Hawks?

The Hawks have little time to dwell on it. Atlanta plays at the Chicago Bulls on Friday, Nov. 13, a game on the official Hawks schedule that is part of the NBA Cup. The Hawks, Bulls, Celtics, Hornets and Wizards make up East Group C, so the matchup carries group-play weight along with the regular-season standings.

Keep an eye on ball security and the bench rotation. Atlanta's reserves, led by McCollum and Wiggins, kept the team within reach on Monday, and the starters will need a cleaner night with the ball against a Bulls team that has been searching for answers early in the season.

Follow Remix Sports Media for continued Atlanta Hawks and NBA coverage, including our Friday look at the Hawks' trip to Chicago.