Lakers @ Hawks Pregame Report
The Lakers (7-2) travel to Atlanta to face the Hawks (4-5) at State Farm Arena, tipping off at 8 p.m. ET (5 p.m. PT). This marks the Lakers’ first game of their five-game road trip. Los Angeles enters this one riding a hot stretch, fresh off a win in a tight contest against the San Antonio Spurs and boasting a perfect road record so far this season.
The Lakers look to win their 6th straight game and keep their perfect road record (4-0) alive tonight against the Hawks 👀🔥 pic.twitter.com/rRblvuSVkT
— Lakers All Day Everyday (@LADEig) November 8, 2025
The Hawks, meanwhile, are looking to bounce back and leverage home-court advantage, but will have to do so while navigating some roster issues and still not having all-star guard Trae Young on the floor.
Lakers offense Led by Luka
The Lakers are clicking offensively, averaging roughly 119.6 points per game and shooting at a high field-goal percentage. They’re currently shooting 52% as a team, which leads the league.
From the Lakers’ perspective: without Reaves, they’ll lean heavier on their core, especially Luka Dončić, to create and score. Atlanta’s weakened backcourt gives Los Angeles an edge in ball-handling and transition opportunities.
The last time Luka Doncic played in Atlanta, he may or may not have put up 73 points.
Lakers Defensive approach
Defensively, the Lakers must remain sharp, especially on Atlanta’s three-point shots and pace. The Hawks will push the pace and try to exploit mismatches. If the Lakers can contain that and sustain their efficient scoring, they should be in good shape.
Controlling the tempo
The Hawks love to push the pace, even without Trae Young. Atlanta thrives when the game becomes a track meet, creating open looks from the corners and transition dunks for their bigs. The Lakers need to slow the game down, dictate possessions, and play at their preferred rhythm — more half-court sets, more deliberate ball movement.
When the Lakers control tempo, they can exploit their size advantage and force Atlanta to defend deep into the shot clock.
This Lakers team has shown that they can slow the game down but also play at a fast pace in transition. Marcus Smart and Jarred Vanderbilt have been catalysts in creating turnovers and getting the ball to Luka in transition and scoring on the fast break. If the Lakers can continue doing that tonight, they could earn their sixth straight win.
Coming off two days rest
Los Angeles is currently playing tonight while on two days’ rest. Rest sounds nice, but sometimes in sports, it can cause teams to come out sluggish. With Reaves still out for the Lakers, look for Jake LaRavia and his 12.1 points per game to continue his fine play to begin the season. Dalton Knecht, Bronny James, and most notably Nick Smith Jr. will continue to see minutes with Reaves still on the shelf.
Atlanta is coming off a loss last night to the Brooklyn Nets. The Hawks’ offense has been inconsistent so far this season, especially due to Young’s absence.
The Lakers need to come out strong and punch Atlanta in the mouth and continue their strong play to begin the year.
