Lakers pummel Hawks for fourth straight win

LeBron James returned from an sickness to place up a team-high 25 factors, 4 teammates joined him in double figures within the first half alone and the Los Angeles Lakers ran away from the visiting Atlanta Hawks early for a 130-114 triumph Friday evening.

Kendrick Nunn (23) and Russell Westbrook (18) mixed for 41 factors off the bench for the Lakers, who received their fourth straight sport and efficiently closed out a two-game homestand.

Trae Young had a game-high 32 factors for the Hawks, who had been enjoying the opener of a two-game set in Los Angeles, with a matchup with the Clippers looming on Sunday.

Nunn had 15 of his factors, Westbrook 11 and James 10 as a part of the Lakers’ dominant first half, throughout which they shot 56.9 p.c from the sphere.

With Dennis Schroder (12) and Thomas Bryant (10) including to the first-half flurry, the hosts scored 9 of the sport’s first 11 factors en path to as a lot as a 14-point lead within the first quarter and 26 within the second.

Coming off a double-overtime loss at Golden State and a three-point win at Sacramento over the earlier 4 days, the Hawks by no means drew nearer than 10 over the ultimate 24 minutes.

James, who had 47 and 43 factors in consecutive video games earlier than sitting out Wednesday with a chilly, shot 10-for-19. He threw in a game-high 10 assists to go together with seven rebounds.

Westbrook had an analogous double-double with 11 rebounds and a game-high-tying 9 assists to enhance his 18 factors, whereas Bryant was the sport’s main rebounder with 13 to go together with his 19 factors.

Schroder completed with 21 factors, 15 approaching 5-for-8 accuracy on 3-pointers. The Lakers outscored the Hawks 48-27 from past the arc.

Young’s massive evening was his second 30-point outing on the three-game journey. He has scored 21 or extra factors in 9 consecutive video games after a 12-for-24 taking pictures efficiency that accompanied 9 assists, 5 rebounds and three steals.

John Collins, De’Andre Hunter and Dejounte Murray had 16 factors apiece for Atlanta, whereas Onyeka Okongwu and Bogdan Bogdanovic added 10 apiece.

Collins and Hunter shared team-high rebound honors with eight.

–Field Level Media/Reuters