Lakers at Hawks
Allowing 37 points in a miserable third quarter Monday goes against everything coach Mike Budenholzer preaches to the Atlanta Hawks, but nonetheless it is hard to find fault with the way his team has played during their first 3-0 start to a season since 2011-12. Atlanta looks to make it four in a row Wednesday night when it hosts the Los Angeles Lakers, and entered Tuesday’s action leading the NBA in points allowed per game and steals.
“We’ve been a pretty good defensive team and we know that’s got to the one of the strengths of our team to play at a high level,” Hawks guard Kyle Korver told reporters Monday, after Atlanta smothered Sacramento in the fourth quarter by allowing just 14 points in a 106-95 triumph. The Lakers arrive in Atlanta on a three-game losing streak, allowing 108 points per game during that stretch after losing 115-108 on Tuesday at Indiana. Larry Nance Jr. contributed 11 points, six steals and five rebounds off the bench in that contest for Los Angeles. Lakers’ guard Lou Williams has scored 26 points with seven assists in the past two games.
TV: 7:30 p.m. ET, Spectrum SportsNet (Los Angeles), FSN Southeast (Atlanta)
ABOUT THE LAKERS (1-3): Los Angeles has been led in scoring by bench players in three of its first four games, including Williams after he drained three 3-pointers en route to a team-best 19 points in Tuesday’s defeat. The Lakers are scoring 97.7 points per game during their losing streak while allowing an average of 114 in the last two. D’Angelo Russell has emerged as the go-to player for Los Angeles in its first season after Kobe Bryant’s retirement, averaging 15 points overall despite going 13-for-44 from the field in his past three games.
ABOUT THE HAWKS (3-0): Dennis Schroder scored 17 points Monday and has 18 assists in his first three games as the starting point guard, tied with forward Paul Millsap for the team lead in helpers as the Hawks rank in the top five of the league (27.7). Korver hit five 3-pointers against the Kings and is shooting 60 percent from beyond the arc. Atlanta has excelled in the final quarter, holding opponents to 15.7 points per contest while averaging 30 points on offense.
BUZZER BEATERS
1. Russell has made four 3-pointers in two of Los Angeles’ four games this season.
2. Atlanta C Dwight Howard, who played one season with the Lakers in 2012-13, is averaging 10.3 points and 12.3 rebounds through three games with his hometown team.
3. The Hawks have won the past three meetings against the Lakers.