D’Angelo Russell tallied 27 points and tied the Lakers’ single-season record for 3-pointers in a 136-105 victory over the Atlanta Hawks on Monday. LeBron James contributed 25 points, 10 assists, and seven rebounds.
With six three-pointers against the Hawks, Russell surpassed Kobe Bryant’s 183 for the season in 2005-06 and tied Nick Van Exel’s franchise-record from 1994-95 with 183. Russell tied the record with a magnificent three-pointer at the three-minute mark of his most recent outstanding shooting performance. He added two more early in the fourth quarter, prior to the Lakers depleting their reserve.
Russell remarked, “That is truly incredible.” “It’s incredible to receive recognition for your hard work and nightly showcase of your game, and to receive credit for something like this is beyond incredible.”
In addition to Russell’s ten assists, Anthony Davis contributed twenty-two points and fifteen rebounds as the Lakers recorded their thirteenth victory in twenty games following a two-game slide in Atlanta in late January.
Davis sustained a scratched cornea in his left eye and departed Saturday’s loss to Golden State early. However, the All-Star big man recovered from the resulting blurred vision in time to play the Hawks to completion. Davis declared that he neglected to wear spectacles.
“I went through that phase in high school,” Davis, who grew up in Chicago occasionally donning goggles and prescription spectacles prior to undergoing corrective eye surgery several years ago, said with a grin. “I have passed that phase. “I would have certainly gotten it if the doctors had told me I required it, but I didn’t require it.”
This victory and Golden State’s defeat to New York both propelled Los Angeles back into ninth place in the Western Conference standings. The Ramblers have gone three games without a loss since early January. Although Russell continued to score prolifically and Davis displayed sharpness at the rim, James once again delivered an exceptional performance, accumulating 65 points in the previous two contests on 25-of-37 shooting.
Davis stated, “Bron is Bron, and it’s that time of year.” “His shooting accuracy is remarkable.” While in assault mode, he has been locating men. He has been defensively entrenched.”
Bogdan Bogdanovic added seventeen points and Jalen Johnson contributed twenty-five for the Hawks, who have suffered four consecutive defeats and three consecutive road trips on the West Coast.
Atlanta head coach Quin Snyder stated, “I thought we were ready to play, but there are two Hall of Fame players who were selfless, and I thought they played exceptionally well.” “Suspending a defensive effort against a team that is performing as they are offensively is difficult. The task becomes even more arduous when the projectile fails to enter it. We were held liable for any error that we committed.
With 6:47 remaining, Johnson collapsed in evident agony after twisting his ankle during the landing. Moments later, Johnson, who had only returned from a sprained ankle two games prior, was able to exit the court independently. Snyder was uncertain as to the extent of the newly sustained injury.
Onyeka Okongwu of Atlanta produced eleven points and four rebounds in nineteen minutes of play following his return from a thirteen-game absence due to a sprained left toe. Okongwu, a former USC sensation from the Los Angeles area, had not participated in a game since February 12, just prior to the All-sensation break.
Trae Young missed his twelfth consecutive game as a result of hand surgery. In January, he contributed 26 points on six 3-pointers as the Hawks put together 138 points in a victory over the Lakers.
Los Angeles steadily gained the upper hand against the Hawks throughout the evening, converting 60% of its first-half attempts while maintaining fluid ball movement. Russell’s fourth three-pointer of the game-ending duration increased the Lakers’ lead to 111-86 heading into the fourth period.
LeBron “Bronny” James Jr.
