Locked On Lakers - Daily Podcast On The Los Angeles Lakers - Lakers Beat Hawks 119-102. LeBron Passes Jordan for Most 30 Point Games in NBA History

Episode Date: January 4, 2025

The Lakers entered Friday's game against the Hawks at the Crypt with some tangible momentum, having won three of their last four, and six of their last eight. They used a very efficient effort on both sides of the ball to keep it going, picking up their 20th win of the season, 119-102. Offensively, LA was led by LeBron James, who followed up Thursday's 38-point effort against Portland with 30 points tonight. Anthony Davis was a monster, with 18 points, 19 rebounds, plus six "stocks" (steals+blocks). Austin Reaves? 20 points, seven boards, six assists. Off the bench, Dalton Knecht broke out of his shooting slump, hitting three of four from downtown. And as a team, the Lakers shot nearly 50 percent from the floor (48.9%), including 43% from 3-point range. They hit 80 percent of their free throws. Put all of that together, and it's a winning formula on offense, assuming you bring the requisite defense. And that they did. Beyond the impact of Anthony Davis's blocks and steals, the Lakers used solid defensive pressure to hold Atlanta to 41% shooting. There wasn't anything particularly flashy about what the Lakers did, which is one of the reasons the win was noteworthy. They just delivered a solid, efficient game to overwhelm a Hawks squad that had been playing well heading in. 20-14 is where the Lakers needed to be as they head to Texas for two games before returning home for an extended homestand. They have some winnable games upcoming, and the Lakers are playing in a way where you'd expect wins to come.  HOSTS: Andy and Brian Kamenetzky Your favorite podcast now has a newsletter! In One-stop for ultimate team and league coverage delivered right to your in box. Sign up for free now, at lockedondaily.com.Support Us By Supporting Our Sponsors!Rocket RXRight now, our listeners can get 40% off your first order when you use code LOCKEDONNBA at RocketRX.com. Terms and Conditions apply.Rocket RX: Better sex, made simple.GametimeDownload the Gametime app, create an account, and use code LOCKEDONNBA for $20 off your first purchase. Terms apply. Download Gametime today. What time is it? Gametime.FanDuelThe NFL Playoffs are almost here, but it’s not too late to get in on the regular season action with FanDuel because right now, new customers can finish the season strong with TWO HUNDRED and FIFTY DOLLARS in BONUS BETS if your first FIVE DOLLAR bet wins. Visit FANDUEL.COM to get started. FANDUEL DISCLAIMER: 21+ in select states. First online real money wager only. Bonus issued as nonwithdrawable free bets that expires in 14 days. Restrictions apply. See terms at sportsbook.fanduel.com. Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER or visit FanDuel.com/RG (CO, IA, MD, MI, NJ, PA, IL, VA, WV), 1-800-NEXT-STEP or text NEXTSTEP to 53342 (AZ), 1-888-789-7777 or visit ccpg.org/chat (CT), 1-800-9-WITH-IT (IN), 1-800-522-4700 (WY, KS) or visit ksgamblinghelp.com (KS), 1-877-770-STOP (LA), 1-877-8-HOPENY or text HOPENY (467369) (NY), TN REDLINE 1-800-889-9789 (TN)  Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Everyone, welcome to Lockdown Lakers, a special bonus episode for a Saturday. Brian Komenetsky, Andy Komeneske, the Lakers beat the Hawks 119-102 as LeBron passes Michael Jordan for the most 30-point games in NBA history. That's next. You are Locked on Lakers. Your daily Los Angeles Lakers podcast, part of the Locked-on Podcast Network, your team every day. Thanks for making Lockdown Lakers, your first listen to Every Day Monday.

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Really getting into this little hot streak, the Lakers are on, they win their seventh in nine tries, beat Atlanta 119 to 102 on Friday at the Crip, second night of a back-to-back. this time with Anthony Davis in the fold.

And I'll be honest with you, Andy. I mean, obviously, you know, it wasn't a blowout win from wire to wire or whatever. Atlantic came in playing pretty good. And so, you know, this is a pretty decent team the Lakers beat. I felt like this was just one of the more efficient workman-like wins the Lakers had all year. You get a big game for LeBron, a lot of work from Anthony Davis, contributions around the roster. you know, really, you know, solid effort defensively. It was just, it wasn't terribly flashy, but man alive, they just sort of got the job done on Friday.

I think the Lakers were always in control of it. And the defense was something that could always lean back on case in point. Atlanta, they average 117 points a game. And they did not score 30 points once in any quarter in this game. I thought the Lakers, you know, Trey Young got his, but I thought they did a pretty credible job, at least making him work. You know, it wasn't even that he was inefficient. I mean, 10 of 22 for 33 points, got the line 12 times, made 10 of them, only three of nine from the arc, but nine assists against three turnovers. I mean, Trey, Trey Young had a nice game, but it didn't feel to me like he was taking it over, even if he played well.

and that's always going to be the first goal whenever you go up against this Hawks team. And it's very, very weird to be thinking about the Lakers this way, but at this point it feels like they've become a pretty reliable defensive team at this point. Like it's not going to be perfect every single game. But even like when they allowed 122 against the Cavaliers last week, Cleveland calls that their scoring average. Like by Cleveland standards, that's not beating the crap out of them. That's just the number one offense in the league, acting like the number one offense in the league.

This defense over the last couple weeks, especially, you know, that moment where they put Christy into the starting lineup and now with Dorian Finney Smith added to the mix, they've been quite good. Yeah, and, you know, the numbers bear that out for, Friday night, 41% overall for Atlanta. And, you know, look, the Hawks shot 17.5% from three-point range. Is that all Lakers defense? No, probably not. But, you know, DeAndre Hunter was one of 12. I mean, guys have those nights. But, I mean, overall, the Lakers, you know, they force some early turnovers against a team in Atlanta that does not turn the ball over very much. And, you know, I kind of was looking at it this way.

You know, the Lakers shot almost 49% from the floor. They were over 43% from three point range, and they were 80% from the line. They kept, you know, the only real blemish on their work offensive was turnovers. And I actually thought for turning them all over as much as they did, 18 times, to hold Atlanta to 41%. it really is good work because you are giving up, not only just giving up a lot of shot opportunities yourself,

but opening up a lot of opportunities for Atlanta, turn around and score the other way. And particularly as the game went on, I think they just, and JJ Redick talked about this after the game, their defensive integrity just got better and better and better as the game went on. And I think that is also a nice indicator of how they're playing as a team where they sustain good work throughout a game, get a little better as it goes along.

That's the sign of a good team. Yeah, they did a nice job when you were talking about getting back in transition. There were several plays. I remember Reddish doing it a couple times, but I think there were other guys as well that managed to do a good job deflecting a pass as Atlanta was looking to run. So they would just disrupt what Atlanta was looking to do, and then they could actually, even if the ball did not go out of bounds and you completely reset the clock,

you just slow it down and you just allow guys to get back. And they made up for their mistakes pretty well. I mean, we'll be honest, the turnovers have become a problem for this team. You know, Austin Reeves, six assists against six turnovers. And Reeves has been really, I think, the guiltiest in terms of the sudden rash of turnovers with this team. I remain concerned about the balance for him and stuff being a little too piled up on his plate more than he can handle. But the team in general needs to become better at just taking care of the ball. Like there was a play where it didn't end up becoming a turnover because the Lakers recovered it.

But like Anthony Davis was holding the ball near the top of the arc. and Dyson Daniels, who I don't know how he only had, I believe, four steals listed in this game. It five. It felt like 25. But Daniels just poked the ball away from AD as he was just sort of surveying the floor. They just need to be more careful with it in general. Yeah, they made some loose plays around a guy like Daniels that you, at this point, you ought to know better. Like they're giving him Australian-style nicknames for the amount of steals that he has.

You know, so the great barrier thief, thief, which is really one of the top-notch NBA nicknames. And I mean, this was a bit of a regression game, I think, from a turnover standpoint for Reeves. Been a little bit better over the last couple. But it's going to, there's going to be fluctuations in that. And, you know. I mean, it wasn't his best game in generally, six of, it was. 20 points, but he was six of 18 from the field. Like, it was not a particularly good game for Reeves to begin with.

And, you know, and they were able to absorb that pretty effectively, you know, but just to finish up the turnover thing, you know, four from AD is a lot, too. Yeah. So it's like they. Oh, yeah. And then, you know, three from LeBron. Like, they start to pile up that way when, when your primary guys are turning the ball over that way. But, you look, you absorb that because you get 30 points from LeBron.

on, you get 18 and 19 from AD, along with six stocks. So that's where I was going to go next. Yeah. You know, plus 17 in his 37 minutes because of that defensive, that defensive level of play. And then, you know, moving down the roster a little bit, you know, Christie was in single digits, but gave you nine and combined with a really

good second half from Doreen, Finney Smith. Those two guys give you 17. is like your defensive oriented players. You get 13 from Rui, who was 6 of 9, nice bounce back game from him. He did finally hit a three-pointer with Dorian Viz Smith on the roster. Plus eight boards. Maybe JJ sat down with him and said it's going to be okay.

He's on the team. It's got to be fine. Yeah. But, you know, so that was good. And, you know, Dalton Connect had a huge second quarter. He was three of four from three-point-range. Hopefully that is a sign of something to come. It's just, like I said, I just, I felt like they didn't do anything particularly spectacular.

It wasn't, you know, 30 and eight from LeBron is cool. And it's a good game. And it's his, how many 30-point game? 500 and whatever. 563. He passed Michael Jordan, 563. and should be noted and counting because I seriously doubt this is going to be the last 30-point game of LeBron's career. He also scored the 29th and 30th points on a very MJ-esque baseline turnaround fade away.

I mean, I'm not saying that LeBron was conscious of how he wanted to score that 30th point that put him over the top with MJ. I'm just saying he shot a lot of baseline turnaround fadeaways up to that point. The man seemed very aware of the theater of it all and good for him. Yeah, I mean, I think you can never put it past LeBron to be aware of something like that. But definitionally, like, you know, 562 came on Thursday. Like you say, you know, 563 and counting. And then just sort of definitionally, if LeBron has done something, 563 times, it's not out of the ordinary. And so, you know, I just, this is one of my kind of my favorite wins of the 20 now the Lakers have this season, in part because it just felt like they're good players were generally doing stuff you kind of expect them to do.

They got nice support from the supporting cast and you feel like this defensive turnaround that they're on is gaining some. it's starting to stick, you know, for lack of a better way, like, you've done it for enough games in a group where you feel like, okay, this kind of is maybe what they are. A couple of other things I wanted to point out that jumped out of me. Shake Milton with four assists in just 13 minutes. But I remember I had said after the first game, I was interested to see with Milton as he gain more familiarity with his teammates. If we started seeing a little bit more facilitation from him, especially with Gabe Vincent

continuing to be out. And it has trended more in that direction. So that, I mean, that's good for Milton at the very least if he wants to make his case to stay on the floor when Vincent is back. I don't know if that's going to be the case or not. Reddick has made it very clear that he likes Gabe a lot. And Gabe have been playing pretty well before. he got hurt. But the most you can ask for shake is to just to make his case. And I thought he did

that tonight. Also too with Dorian Finney Smith. And I'm not sure I've ever seen this before. This is the second game in a row where he's had a three point shot blocked and he tracked down his own miss. This time he turned it into a reverse layup. But that happened on Thursday where he had a He tracked down the miss. He turned it over, but then stole the ball back. I'm like, this guy really does not give up on plays at all. He doesn't like to get a shot. It's apparently makes him mad.

It's, you know, he is playing kind of a Vando-esque role on this team. That's a very Vando-esque quality. Like Vando is a guy that also doesn't give up on plays. It's rare to see a three-point. shot blocked in the first place, much less the same guy having it blocked, much less two games in a row. But DFS turned that stuff into a positive. Yeah. I mean, and I thought it was, it was interesting, the way that Reddick after the game really differentiated between the halves there for DFS. Like, even just listening to JJ, we can

wrap here, but even just listening to JJ talk about the things he didn't like in the first half, were very specific. It was related to how they were reacting to slip screens from, or ghost screens and whatever from Bogdanovich. Like over switching on things that they should have realized weren't going to happen and creating, and just getting into the sort of second level stuff of what they were doing or not doing in terms of following the game plan, which indicates to me that they are adding to the defensive, the detail on the defensive game plan.

And so, yeah, it's just another sign that they, you know, they feel internally like this defensive run that they're on is sustainable. So we'll see the Lakers get a couple days off before heading to Texas to play the Mavs and the Rockets. If they can win one of those, and I are really talking about, you know, rockets, sorry, the Mavericks playing shorthanded without Luca, but still a tough game. And if they can play some good basketball on the road trip, you're really talking about something at that point. So we'll see how that goes.

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