Lakers respond to controversy with rout of Hawks

[January 08, 2018]  Brandon Ingram powered the Lakers' balanced offensive attack with 20 points to help Los Angeles snap a nine-game losing streak with a 132-113 victory against the Atlanta Hawks on Sunday night at Staples Center.

The win allowed Los Angeles (12-27) to avoid matching a franchise-record 10-game losing streak set in 1994 and equaled last season.

Ingram was one of eight double-digit scorers for the Lakers. Jordan Clarkson had 18 points, Julius Randle finished with 15 and nine rebounds and both Kentavious-Caldwell Pope and Kyle Kuzma added 14.

Dennis Schroder paced the Hawks with a game-high 27 points while Kent Bazemore and John Collins finished with 15 points apiece.

Hawks' second-leading scorer Taurean Prince left the game after dislocating his right ring finger in the first half, but returned and totaled six points and seven rebounds in 24 minutes.

Atlanta (10-29) lost its third straight game and fell to 0-3 since the calendar turned.

Playing in his second game back after missing six with a shoulder injury, Lonzo Ball amassed 13 points, 10 rebounds and six assists for Los Angeles.

Ball's father, Lavar, vented his criticism of Lakers coach Luke Walton leading up to the game, telling ESPN, "You can see they're not playing for Luke no more. ... Luke doesn't have control of the team no more. They don't want to play for him."

Of his father's comments, the younger Ball told reporters before the game "I'll play for anybody... my job is to play basketball. I don't decide who the coach is."

 

Lakers forward Kyle Kuzma (0) holds on to a rebound in front of Atlanta Hawks forward John Collins (20) at Staples Center. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports

Walton denied the elder Ball's claim that he has lost the team and said he has received support from his coaching peers around the league.

Larry Nance Jr. was hampered by an illness, but played and scored 13 for the Lakers.

Los Angeles scored 37 points in the second quarter to go up 66-48 at halftime and led by as many as 26 points in the game.

Miles Plumlee's layup with 9:24 to play in the first quarter gave Atlanta its biggest lead of the game at 10-8, but the Lakers' offense ignited as they fought back to pull ahead 29-17 after 12 minutes.

Los Angeles continues its five-game homestand Tuesday against Sacramento. Atlanta stays in town to face the Los Angeles Clippers on Monday, its fourth of a five-game West Coast swing.

--Field Level Media

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