Atlanta on Two-Game Losing Streak
The Atlanta Hawks try to avoid a third straight loss when they host the Los Angeles Lakers in a battle of sub-.500 teams on Friday night. Atlanta is coming off a one-point loss at home to the Brooklyn Nets on Wednesday and is one game behind the Miami Heat for the top spot in the Southeast Division. Los Angeles has lost five of six and is at the bottom of the Pacific Division standings. Both teams are desperate for a win, so check out our NBA betting preview of this contest to help you decide how to make your wager.
Let’s check the latest NBA odds, stats, injury report and NBA lines for Lakers vs Hawks. We’ve plenty of NBA betting odds for you to consider.
Lakers Need More Offense
The Los Angeles Lakers had trouble putting the ball in the basket against the Miami Heat on Wednesday, managing just 98 points in a loss. Forward LeBron James had 27 of those points, accounting for more than a fourth of the team’s production.
With forward Anthony Davis sidelined with a foot injury, James has been counted on to be even more of a focal point of the offense. The 37-year-old is averaging 27.8 points, 8.1 rebounds, and 6.6 assists while playing 35.7 minutes per contest, though he’s listed as questionable for Friday’s game with ankle soreness.
Guard Russell Westbrook has been one of the better bench performers in the league this season, ranking seventh in the NBA in assists per game with 7.7 despite starting just three games. Westbrook is also scoring 14.7 points and grabbing 6.3 rebounds a contest.
Center Thomas Bryant has been starting in place of Davis and has upped his production with more minutes. Bryant had 21 points and 10 rebounds in Tuesday’s win over Orlando, averaging 12.7 points and 6.8 rebounds over the last 10 games.
Hawks Dealing With Multiple Injuries
The Atlanta Hawks are having trouble keeping starters in their lineup, with three of them – Trae Young, Clint Capela, and De’Andre Hunter – all sitting out of Wednesday’s game against the Brooklyn Nets. Despite missing those three key players, Atlanta fell by just one against the red-hot Nets, giving the team some optimism going forward.
“I saw fight from our guys tonight,” Hawks coach Nate McMillan said after Wednesday’s loss. “You can live with that. I thought from start to finish we stepped up and played. We didn’t think about the guys that were out. The guys that were playing came out and played to win.”
Hunter and Capela have already been ruled out of Friday’s game, while Young is listed as probable with a calf injury. Young would be a big boost to the Hawks’ chances, as he’s averaging 27.3 points and 9.9 assists this season.
Guard Dejounte Murray is averaging 20.5 points, 5.3 rebounds, and 6.2 assists in his first season with Atlanta. Murray had 24 points, nine rebounds, and eight assists in the loss to the Nets.
Lakers vs Hawks Game Injuries
Lakers vs Hawks Head-To-Head
The Lakers and Hawks have split their series the last two seasons, with the home team winning each game in 2021-22 after the road team was victorious in both 2020-21 meetings. The Lakers swept the season series in 2019-20, while the Hawks’ last season series win came in 2015-16.
Los Angeles has an all-time 194-142 advantage against Atlanta. The NBA lines for Friday’s contest favor the Hawks to get an easy win at home.
Lakers vs Hawks Game Information
- Game: Lakers (14-21) vs Hawks (17-18)
- Location: State Farm Arena, Atlanta, GA
- Day/Time: Friday, Dec. 30th, 7:30 p.m. ET
- Lakers vs Hawks Live Stream: NBA Game Pass
Lakers vs Hawks Betting Lines
Lakers vs Hawks Picks & Prediction
The Los Angeles Lakers are in the middle of a brutal Eastern road swing and are dealing with multiple injuries. That’s going to be trouble against the athletic Atlanta Hawks, who should snap their losing streak with a victory on Friday night.
When making your NBA picks, take Atlanta to win and cover at home.
Los Angeles is listed at +240 in our Vegas lines. This means that if you wager $100 on the Lakers, you have a chance to win $240. Atlanta is -290, offering a chance to win $34 on a $100 wager.
The implied probability attached to the betting lines gives Los Angeles a 29.41% chance to win, with Atlanta at 74.36%.
Lakers vs Hawks Trends
Lakers vs Hawks Edge
Lakers vs Hawks Results
Lakers vs Hawks Game Summary
