The NBA regular season continues with the Lakers facing off against the Hawks. Prior to the game, most fans predicted that the Lakers would easily secure a victory, given their impressive recent performance. True to expectations, from the moment the game began, the Lakers took control of the court, dominating both offensively and defensively against the Hawks. After four quarters of play, the Lakers comfortably defeated the Hawks with a score of 119-102.
The reasons for the Hawks' loss are quite straightforward, mainly due to two factors. Firstly, their rebounding disadvantage was too significant; throughout the game, the Hawks only managed to grab 39 rebounds, while the Lakers secured 56. Secondly, the Hawks' three-point shooting accuracy was poor, with a mere 18% compared to the Lakers' impressive 43%. These two factors were undoubtedly key in determining the outcome of the game.
Moving on to the victorious Lakers, I won't delve into the details of their win here. Instead, I want to focus on discussing LeBron James and the two new additions to the Lakers. I'm unsure how everyone evaluates these three players, but my assessment is encapsulated in this statement: "Blasting 33+8, Returning to Fourth Place! LeBron James Sets a Legendary Record as the First in History, New Aids Propel Lakers Towards Championship."
Let's start with LeBron James. In this game, James played for 30 minutes, making 13 out of 20 shots, including 2 out of 5 three-pointers and 2 out of 2 free throws, accumulating 30 points, 3 rebounds, and 8 assists. With this 30-point haul, James has created another NBA milestone, surpassing Jordan with 563 games scoring 30+ points to stand alone at the top of history. It must be said that the 40-year-old James is incredibly strong. Although his explosiveness may not be as powerful as in his younger days, his offensive skills are now more comprehensive, and his playing style is more versatile. As fans often say, the 40-year-old James can still overwhelm 95% of the league's players.
Next, let's talk about the Lakers' new recruits, Smith and Milton. Smith played for 23 minutes, making 2 out of 3 three-pointers and scoring 8 points with 5 rebounds. Milton played for 13 minutes, scoring 2 points with 4 rebounds and 4 assists. While their statistics may not be particularly eye-catching, their roles within the Lakers are crucial. Smith serves as an outside shooter on the court, creating space for the Lakers and seamlessly integrating into the team. Moreover, Smith's defense is outstanding, and his addition has solidified the Lakers' perimeter defense. Milton takes on the responsibility of linking the team's rotation lineup, with his ability to organize offense and control the pace of the game being exactly what the Lakers needed previously. To reiterate, the addition of these two players has given the Lakers the capital to contend for the championship.
After winning this game, the Lakers' record returned them to the top four in the West, marking the best performance in recent seasons. As the season progresses, expectations for the Lakers continue to rise. Initially, predictions had the Lakers as a playoff-level team at most, but now the consensus is that they have a chance to challenge for the championship.