LeBron James Makes History, But Lakers’ Depth Woes Continue in OT Loss to Hawks
ATLANTA — The Los Angeles Lakers’ grueling four-game road trip came to a heartbreaking end Friday night as they fell to the red-hot Atlanta Hawks, 134-132, in an overtime thriller. While the loss stung, the night wasn’t without its historic moments, as LeBron James added yet another milestone to his legendary career. But even with James’ brilliance, the Lakers’ struggles are becoming harder to ignore.
Let’s start with the good news: LeBron James made NBA history yet again. The 38-year-old superstar notched his 119th career triple-double, finishing with 39 points, 11 assists, and 10 rebounds. Oh, and he just so happened to become the first player in league history to reach 41,000 career points. Yes, you read that right—41,000 points. It’s a number so staggering it feels like it belongs in a video game, not real life. James also added three blocks and two steals to his stat line, shooting an impressive 14-of-25 from the field and 6-of-11 from beyond the arc. Simply put, he was sensational.
Anthony Davis wasn’t far behind, delivering one of his best performances of the season. Davis poured in 38 points on 15-for-27 shooting, grabbed 10 rebounds, dished out eight assists, and blocked two shots. It was a much-needed bounce-back game for Davis, who had managed just eight points on 3-for-14 shooting in Wednesday’s loss to the Miami Heat. But despite their individual brilliance, both James and Davis had some costly late-game miscues that ultimately tipped the scales in Atlanta’s favor.
Depth Issues Plague the Lakers
While the Lakers’ stars shone brightly, the team’s lack of depth was glaringly obvious. The Hawks’ bench outscored the Lakers’ reserves by a jaw-dropping 65-17 margin. That’s not just a bad night—it’s a crisis. After the game, James didn’t mince words about the challenges the team is facing.
“Mismatching with lineups, we’re trying to figure out ways, obviously,” James said. “So it’s very challenging. We don’t have much room for error. … It’s big, big, big, big pieces.”
He’s not wrong. The Lakers were without several key players, including Austin Reaves, Jarred Vanderbilt, Christian Wood, and Jaxson Hayes. Reaves, who has been averaging 16.7 points and 4.8 assists this season, missed the entire road trip due to a left pelvic contusion. Lakers coach JJ Redick called Reaves a “connector” for the team’s offense, praising his ability to score, make plays, and bring energy every night. Reaves is considered day-to-day and could return for Sunday’s home game against the Portland Trail Blazers.
Meanwhile, Hayes has missed 12 of the Lakers’ last 13 games with a right ankle injury and is expected to be out for at least another week. Wood and Vanderbilt haven’t played at all this season due to surgeries—Wood on his left knee and Vanderbilt on his right foot, along with fluid in his left knee. Vanderbilt is targeting a return in early January, but Wood’s timeline remains uncertain.
Shuffling the Lineup
With so many players sidelined, Redick has been forced to experiment with the lineup, searching for combinations that work. On Friday, he started Gabe Vincent in place of D’Angelo Russell, but the results were mixed. The constant shuffling has made it difficult for the Lakers to find any sort of rhythm, and their bench production has suffered as a result. The team currently ranks in the bottom five in bench points this season—a stat that underscores just how much they’re missing their injured players.
Late-Game Drama
Despite their depth issues, the Lakers had their chances to win this game. Davis had a couple of critical mistakes late in regulation and overtime, including a turnover on a pass to James with 28 seconds left in the extra period. James managed to save the play with a chasedown block on Dyson Daniels, but the damage was done. Moments later, Davis was tied up by three Hawks defenders on an inbounds play, leading to a jump ball that the Lakers couldn’t secure. It was a tough sequence for a player who had otherwise been dominant all night.
After the game, Davis acknowledged the team’s challenges but stressed the importance of staying focused. “There’s no cavalry,” he said. “No one feels sorry for us. We can’t feel sorry for ourselves. Just got to continue to put our head down and grind and work. Try to get back in the win column on Sunday against Portland. … No game’s going to be easy for us, so we got to go take the win.”
James echoed those sentiments, offering a bit of perspective. “I don’t know as far as what will get us over the hump,” he said. “We just got to just not drown. Don’t drown and we’ll be all right.”
Looking Ahead
The Lakers have now lost seven of their last nine games, and the road ahead doesn’t get any easier. With injuries piling up and the team struggling to find consistency, the pressure is mounting. Sunday’s game against the Trail Blazers offers a chance to right the ship, but as Davis said, no game is going to be easy for this team. For now, the Lakers will have to rely on their stars to carry the load and hope their “big pieces” return sooner rather than later.
Originally Written by: Dave McMenamin
