NBA 2018-19, Hits and Flops: Atlanta Hawks vs Los Angeles Lakers
The Los Angeles Lakers visited the Atlanta Hawks for their last game before the All-Star break. The result was a disappointing 113-117 loss in a match which they were expected to win.
The Lakers are lying in 10th place in the Western Conference playoff standings and have dropped 2.5 games behind the Sacramento Kings who currently hold the 8th and final playoff spot.
Meanwhile, the Hawks continued their good run and are steadily improving their displays. They have a 19-38 record and are the 12th ranked team in the Eastern Conference.
Let's have a look at the best and the worst players from the match:
Flop - Kyle Kuzma:
Kyle Kuzma had another one of those nights when he faded away when his team needed him the most. Kuzma finished with 19 points on 8-20 shooting from the field.
The Lakers had a major offensive drought in the fourth quarter and Kuzma failed to impress. He missed open shots and added to his team's misery. He was also a liability on the defensive end for most of the night and the Hawks exploited that completely.
Kuzma needs to become more consistent on both ends because the Lakers will be needing him for their final playoff push.
Hit - John Collins:
John Collins is the leading scorer for the Hawks and again dominated from inside. He has a very polished offensive game and exploited the poor interior defense of the Lakers.
Collins finished with 22 points and 8 rebounds on 8-15 shooting from the field and 2-2 shooting from the 3PT line. Collins is averaging 19.4 points per game and has been one of the rare pleasant surprises for the Hawks this season.