LeBron James, playing in a back-to-back for the first time this season, had 31 points, 10 assists and nine rebounds in Tuesday's win over the Atlanta Hawks.
Weary and downtrodden from a losing streak that stretched to three games after a loss to the Sacramento Kings on Monday, the Lakers entered Tuesday’s game against the Atlanta Hawks with Luka Doncic and LeBron James both listed as “questionable.” It looked like an inevitable loss would be coming.
That is, until James collected a full-court baseball pass from Marcus Smart in the first quarter and slammed it down with one hand. The superstar still had his bounce Tuesday.
Doncic and James led the way as the Lakers (24-14) avoided their season-long losing streak. Doncic, who was dealing with groin soreness from Monday’s loss, had 27 points and 12 assists while James, playing in a back-to-back for the first time this season, had 31 points, 10 assists and nine rebounds.
“It's remarkable,” coach JJ Redick said of James. “His competitive stamina is off the charts.”
Read more:Luka Doncic plays and scores 27 points as the Lakers rout the Hawks
Here are three takeaways from the game:
LeBron James shows his greatness
Redick said he didn’t expect James to play Tuesday. He had not played in two games in as many days all season, and, at 41 years old, James said his status for all back-to-backs going forward should be “to be determined.”
Then James dominated with his third 30-point game of the month and his 61st 30-point double-double as a Laker, passing Kobe Bryant for seventh-most in franchise history.
“I don't take for granted the LeBron stuff,” Redick said. “It's unfortunate actually — not to go on a little tangent here — but it's actually unfortunate how much this guy puts into it and how much he cares and the way certain people talk about him. It's crazy. Come be around him every day and see how much this guy cares. It's off the charts.”
Redick then followed the tangent when asked why it was “unfortunate.”
“That's the nature of envy,” the coach lamented. “It's the nature of envy. You're not going to get a click, you're not going to get a response, by saying something nice about somebody, by acknowledging someone's greatness, by acknowledging how much they care and how much they work and how much they've accomplished and continue to accomplish and continue to go after something. I mean, you got to say something bad about him. You got to go on TV and knock him. You got to go read into, ‘Oh, he did this pregame and he did this.’ It's all just nuts. Be around him every day. He's unbelievable.”
Teammates have tried futilely to beat James to the arena or the practice facility in the morning and can never seem to arrive early enough. His extensive pregame routine Tuesday, only hours after he played 33 minutes and 13 seconds on Monday in Sacramento, included an ice bath in a hyperbaric chamber before arriving at the arena then hours of activation, treatment, stretching and lifting before the game.
“For me, he’s one of a kind,” Doncic said. “To be in his 23rd season, to play back-to-back, it costs everybody. But for him it’s probably even more difficult. It shows how much he cares.”
Despite owning nearly every record and accolade, James said he still has no choice but to keep his standard high.
“I would never disrespect the basketball gods,” James said. “I understand that it's a real thing. … Every time I hit the floor or I'm at a practice, whatever the case may be, trying to set an example for my teammates and the younger generation that's watching me or watching throughout my career. I mean, shoot, my son is right over there.”
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With three minutes and 43 seconds left, James was just one rebound shy of his first triple-double since Feb. 1, 2025, but didn't chase the significant stat. After hitting a free throw, he quickly committed a take foul to stop the clock so he could leave the blowout.
He subbed out for Bronny James.
Rui Hachimura returns off the bench
Rui Hachimura made his return from a right calf strain that kept him out for two weeks, scoring seven points on three-for-seven shooting with two rebounds. He was on an 18-minute restriction, which kept him on the bench at the beginning of the game. Hachimura was the Lakers’ first sub of the game, coming in for James with six minutes and 30 seconds left in the first quarter.
“He's our best catch-and-shoot guy,” Redick said of Hachimura before the game, “so looking forward to [having him back].”
Hachimura was one of three from three-point range Tuesday as the Lakers shot 55.9% from three, a season high. The shooting spree came less than 24 hours after the Lakers, who rank 24th in three-point shooting percentage, were a frigid eight for 36 from three against Sacramento. Hachimura is shooting a team-high 44.5% from three this season.
Deandre Ayton shoulders the load
With Jaxson Hayes sidelined with left hamstring soreness, Deandre Ayton had a second consecutive double-double with 17 points and a season-high 18 rebounds.
Ayton’s energy has appeared to fluctuate in recent games, including two games in which he did not finish the fourth quarter on the court. Ayton promised to be a defensive anchor for the team that picked him up in free agency after he flamed out with Portland last season, and the 7-footer has been good, Redick said, “when he’s engaged.”
Read more:How will Rui Hachimura's return impact the Lakers?
“It just, you know, just more consistency," Redick said. "He's shown he can do it … Deandre's told on himself: he can be a really good defender.”
Hayes’ defensive struggles got him benched late last season, but Redick has commended the center’s improvement on that end of the court. Hayes has delivered what Redick called several “teach tape verticalities” this year to protect the rim. His progress on defense and electric dunks on offense helped Hayes earn closing minutes in clutch games against the Memphis Grizzlies on Jan. 2 and the Milwaukee Bucks on Jan. 9.
But Hayes felt the hamstring injury late in the game against Sacramento and couldn’t return, Redick said. The team got imaging on the injury and will soon know more. Without his frontcourt running mate, Ayton said he wanted to bring the same mindset he’s had all season to help the Lakers bounce back from Monday’s disappointing loss.
“You can say one thing about these back-to-backs,” Ayton said, “but being in the NBA, having games that you lose or you didn't play so well in as a team, you get another opportunity like tonight to redeem.”
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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
Category: General Sports
