It finally wasn’t the Warriors standing across the sideline from the shorthanded Lakers, and that led to a 109-92 victory over the Atlanta Hawks at Staples Center on Sunday night.
With starters D’Angelo Russell (knee soreness) and Julius Randle (hip pointer) sidelined, the Lakers were led by the energy of their second unit. Second-unit guard Lou Williams led them with 21, 16 coming in the second half, and Jordan Clarkson chipped in 18. Former Lakers center Dwight Howard finished with a team-high 19 points and nine rebounds, but 13 of those points came in the first quarter.