Player Grades: Lakers vs. Hawks

Grading every Lakers player’s performance from the team’s 134-132 loss to the Hawks.

There’s a pretty easy argument to make that, in a vacuum, Friday’s result in Atlanta wasn’t all that bad.

The Hawks are one of the hottest teams in the NBA, the Lakers are in a rut and down a host of rotation players. Losing on the road in overtime to that team after pushing them to the edge isn’t a bad result, in a vacuum.

But that’s not an argument I’m making.

Given the context of the loss, Friday’s result was not good in any way. The Lakers had a three-point lead with 40 seconds left. They had the ball and a one-point lead with 26 seconds left.

But turnovers and low-IQ basketball over the final minute — and the game overall — gave them the result they deserved. Play stupid games, win stupid prizes.

Was it a better effort than Wednesday in Miami? Absolutely. Do moral victories get anyone anywhere right now? Nope.

So, let’s dive into the loss. As always, grades are based on expectations for each player. A “B” grade represents the average performance for that player.

Rui Hachimura

41 minutes, 12 points, 9 rebounds, 1 assist, 2 steals, 2 blocks, 5-6 FG, 2-2 3PT, +5

After struggling quite a bit inside the arc to start the season, Rui has found his groove over the last two weeks. In fact, he had made 19 consecutive 2-point field goals until missing on Friday.

I’ve also reiterated this numerous times, but he’s just such a better rebounder this season. Now, that being said, it was a fairly quiet finish to the game for him, but overall, he had a decent showing.

Grade: B+

LeBron James

43 minutes, 39 points, 10 rebounds, 11 assists, 2 steals, 3 blocks, 14-25 FG, 6-11 3PT, 5-6 FT, +3

Grading the Lakers’ two stars tonight is going to be an impossible task that I’m sure will lead to lots of debate.

On one hand, they combined for 77 points and both nearly had triple-doubles. They absolutely carried this team to the brink of victory and without them, the Lakers aren’t even close.

At the same time, they were at the center of so many of the frustrating plays late. Why did LeBron shoot a logo 3-pointer with 40 seconds left and up a point in the fourth quarter with seven seconds still on the shot clock? Why did he shoot a logo 3-pointer with three seconds left at the end of the game?

Ultimately, LeBron felt like he was doing a lot more good than bad down the stretch. After some really concerning performances, he’s had back-to-back great games.

Grade: A-

Anthony Davis

42 minutes, 38 points, 10 rebounds, 8 assists, 1 steal, 2 blocks, 15-27 FG, 0-3 3PT, 8-8 FT, +6

I’m going to be a lot less forgiving for AD than I was LeBron. Yes, he was utterly dominant, looking so much more like his early-season self. It’s not an exaggeration to call this one of the best games of his career, in fact.

And yet, he, too, had some awful plays late. First, he picks up an offensive foul with the Lakers up one late in the fourth quarter because the team was trying to roll the ball up the court and waste time.

The problem? It was under two minutes and the clock doesn’t run until the ball is touched. I hate the strategy even when it is running clock because it feels like prevent defense in football. But to do it when it can’t even work? It’s like playing prevent defense on the goal line.

And then there was the turnover late in overtime on a bad pass to LeBron. Fortunately for him, LeBron saved him with an unbelievable block, but AD was as checked out mentally late in this game as anyone.

For that, I’m docking him quite a bit despite an incredible statistical game.

I’m sure these two grades will lead to much debate.

Grade: B

Dalton Knecht

28 minutes, 14 points, 3 rebounds, 2 assists, 6-11 FG, 2-6 3PT, -2

A bit of a return to form for Knecht, who had struggled in the game leading up to this. The Lakers made some concerted efforts to get him good looks and he also did a good job of working for baskets and not settling.

Grade: B+

Gabe Vincent

34 minutes, 12 points, 1 rebound, 5 assists, 2 steals, 1 block, 5-11 FG, 2-4 3PT, +4

I think this was unquestionably Gabe’s best game as a Laker, which isn’t the first time I’ve said that of late. He’s in the middle of his best stretch in purple and gold.

So long as Austin Reaves is out injured, I think starting Vincent is the right call. It keeps D’Angelo Russell in his regular role and it seems to help get Vincent engaged.

Now, all that being said, Vincent and AD were a mess defending ball screens with Trae Young in the fourth quarter, both on the opening and closing plays for Atlanta in the extra session, resulting in an and-one layup and Young’s game-winning 3-pointer.

Grade: B+

D’Angelo Russell

21 minutes, 8 points, 3 rebounds, 3 assists, 3-9 FG, 2-4 3PT, -4

Russell’s 3-point shot has come around over his last five games as he’s now 14-28 from range in that span. At the same time, he didn’t offer much outside of that on Friday.

Grade: C+

Max Christie

31 minutes, 9 points, 2 rebounds, 2 assists, 3 steals, 1 block, 3-6 FG, 2-3 3PT, 1-2 FT, -7

If not for the fouls, this would have been one of Christie’s best games of the season. He was one of the few guys having success against Young and blocked the potential game-winning shot at the end of regulation.

But he also fouled out of the game and was quite overzealous on that end of the floor. His final two plays of hitting a big 3-pointer and then immediately fouling out of the game after being out of control on his closeout was a perfect summary of his night.

Grade: B-

Cam Reddish

21 minutes, 1 steal, 1 block, 0-1 FG, 0-1 3PT, -8

The Lakers simply don’t have other options right now, but I’m just not really sure why Reddish is getting minutes at this point. He’s such an utter non-factor on offense that it’s pointless to play him.

He was inserted into the game defensively when Christie fouled out and proceeded to let Young drive by him time and time again. Maybe that’s on the coaches for having him on the wrong matchup, but if you’re a complete non-factor offensively, you better be able to guard just about anyone defensively.

Grade: F

Armel Traore

No grade as he only had one shift for four minutes, but the fact he took three shots in that span shows that things got pretty wild from him on the night. Maybe it’s time to go back to Christian Koloko.

JJ Redick

There were a number of things you could see Redick made a concerted effort in doing, as mentioned above. Vincent was on the ball more, taking it out of LeBron’s hands. Knecht got some open looks by design. And AD got the ball a lot more. All of that felt intentional.

How much, then, do you dock him for everything that happened late? AD and LeBron make mental mistakes doesn’t feel like it should fall on Redick, but on them.

Redick spoke pregame about the need for better communication. Compare that to the game-winning shot from Young and the defense from Vincent and AD. Was that a tough sequence to defend? Yes. Did it look like they had no idea what they were doing on ball screens? Yes.

Ultimately, I land on this being a slightly positive game from him. I had some questions about the defensive matchups but ultimately thought what he did offensively was a positive.

Grade: B

You can follow Jacob on Twitter at @JacobRude.