NBA: Lakers look to shine as Hawks might need another comeback
Comeback kings Atlanta Hawks, take on the Pacers
Atlanta Hawks have proved to be the comeback kings of late. Last week, they trailed by a double-digit figure against the Chicago Bulls before prevailing 120-108. Earlier this week, they mounted a stirring fightback against the Hornets once again. The Hawks were down two points in the fourth quarter, but they emerged 105-101 victors.
The Hawks were relentless in chasing down the win, and they had Bogdan Bogdanovic to thank for coming up trumps. Bogdanovic lead the line for the Hawks with 32 points, and he drained a career-best eight three-pointers. He was supported by Brandon Goodwin, who made a significant 37-minute contribution on the floor. During that period, Goodwin posted figures of 17 points, eight assists and five rebounds.
As they take on the Pacers, themselves on a three game winning streak we feel the Buck’s mettle will get them through.
LA Lakers keen to get a streak together
Despite a depleted team, the Lakers came roaring back in style as they produced a blowout 126-101 victory over the Nets last weekend. They have five players missing at the moment, including Anthony Davis (calf) and LeBron James. Despite this, Andre Drummond stepped up to the mark weighing in with 20 points.
Drummond happy with ‘tough guys’ in the dressing room
A home game against the Boston Celtics will be hard for LA, even though the Celtics are seventh in the Eastern Conference. Drummond believes the team spirit in the Lakers camp will stand them in good stead, noting “We’ve got a lot of guys in this locker room that are very tough. We had a lot of fun getting this win (against the Nets).”
Jayson Tatum will be key for Boston Celtics against Los Angeles Lakers
Jayson Tatum is a figurehead in the Celtics roster. He will need to be at his imperious best if his franchise are going to get anything out of the game against the Lakers. Tatum was on fire once again for the Celtics last weekend as he inspired his side to a 105-87 win over the Denver Nuggets.
Tatum put up 28 points and 10 rebounds, while his teammate Jaylen Brown managed 20 points and eight rebounds. However, the Celtics were lucky that the Nuggets weren’t more ruthless. In fact, the Nuggets missed 10 straight shots and conceded five turnovers. In the final quarter of the game, the Nuggets were errant with 22 of their 25 shots.
Although at the time of writing, the Celtics have a 28-26 record, they have plenty of match-winners that can hurt the Lakers. Indeed, Brown has been superb during clutch moments for the Celtics this term. He has averaged over 24 points from 50 games. He has also made 48.7% of his field goal attempts.
Philadelphia 76ers rebound king Dwight Howard impressing
With a huge game on the horizon against the Los Angeles Clippers, who are Western Conference’s third best team, the 76ers will need some big performances from their stars. Perhaps one player who has slipped under the radar has been Dwight Howard, who loves a rebound. He is the NBA’s top rebounder, which is impressive for a 35-year old.
The Clippers, who claimed a 131-124 win over the Detroit Pistons last weekend, will fancy themselves against anyone in the Western Conference as they boast a 67.3% win record. However, before last weekend’s round of games, the Sixers struggled on the round, and they were 3-8 against teams with at least a .500 record. This one is anyone’s guess but we expect an open flowing game of basketball.
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