Image Credit: Dale Zanine-Imagn Images

Hawks vs Lakers: Three Key Takeaways as Shorthanded Hawks Defeat Lakers by 20 Points

The Hawks handed a 20-point defeat to the Lakers despite missing key rotational players.

Image Credit: Dale Zanine-Imagn Images

The Atlanta Hawks were in action on Sunday, November 8, against the Los Angeles Lakers. Despite being shorthanded, the Hawks handed a 20-point defeat to the Lakers and took them down 122-102. Luka Doncic, who headed into the game with a 40.0 ppg average, was restricted to only 22 points by the Hawks who missed key players including Trae Young, Jalen Johnson, Kristaps Porzingis, and Nickeil Alexander-Walker. Instead of them, Keaton Wallace, Mouhamed Gueye, and Onyeka Okongwu stepped in as starters.

Gueye led the charts with 21 points, seven rebounds, and seven assists while Zaccharie Risacher dropped 19 points, one rebound and four assists. Asa Newell and Vit Krejci came up with 17 points each while Onyeka Okongwu and Dyson Daniels came up with 12 points and 10 points, respectively. As the Hawks improved their tally to 5-5 with the win, let’s see what are the key takeaways from the game.

Mouhamed Gueye’s Career Night in Three Categories Propels Hawks to Win

🏀 SATURDAY'S FINAL SCORES 🏀

Mouhamed Gueye posts career-high marks in three categories to propel the @ATLHawks to the home win!

Zaccharie Risacher: 19 PTS, 4 AST, 2 STL, 3 3PM
Asa Newell: 17 PTS, 4 STL
Keaton Wallace: 14 PTS, 7 AST
Onyeka Okongwu: 12 PTS, 8 REB, 4 AST, 3 STL,… https://t.co/58Y4QQIRa3 pic.twitter.com/Jklygd8SLE
— NBA (@NBA) November 9, 2025

Mouhamed Gueye, who stepped in as a starter for the second time this season, recorded a career-high night across multiple categories. He recorded a career-high 21 points, career-high seven assists as well as four three pointers to guide the Hawks to their fifth win of the season. It seemed that the Lakers were overconfident with their ongoing momentum and the fact that the Hawks were without multiple rotational stars. In the opening quarter, Gueye dropped 11 points and further created mismatches to fuel 22 fast-break points, which turned the shorthanded Hawks to an efficient machine.

Hawks’ Defense Neutralizes Doncic, Restrict them at 102

The Atlanta Hawks’ backcourt, led by Dyson Daniels (10 points, eight rebounds, and 13 assists) and Keaton Wallace (14 points, two rebounds, and seven assists) disrupted the Lakers’ rhythm. They held Doncic to 22 points while shooting 7-of-17 from the field and 4-of-19 from beyond the arc. Apart from it, the Hawks forced 19 turnovers, while committing 11 turnovers themselves. The swarm defense ballooned a 14-point lead to 26 points by the end of the third quarter, highlighting the road woes of the Lakers.

Hawks’ Bench Overwhelm LA’s Thin Rotation

With as many as four starters sidelined, the Hawks’ reserves still outscored LA’s bench 46-43 as Asa Newell and Vit Krejci’s 34 points efforts provided a spark for the ultimate winners. The Hawks’ 37 assists on 48 made field goals showcased spacing and unselfish play. The Lakers’ supporting cast, during the absence of players such as LeBron James and Austin Reaves, couldn’t contribute much and see their team succumb, bringing their five-game winning streak to end.

Atlanta Hawks

Los Angeles Lakers

Garima Ranawat

Garima is a sports writer with around two years of experience in Indian sports and a newfound interest in the NBA. Inspired by the leadership of cricketing legend MS Dhoni, she wishes to bring in newer perspectives to the NBA fanatics with her writing.