LOS ANGELES — The Lakers claimed a winning record for the first time this season, beating the Hawks 107-106 at home with help from game-deciding plays from both LeBron James and Tyson Chandler in the final 15 seconds. Here are three quick thoughts from Sunday night’s win, as the Lakers move to 7-6 and into the West’s No. 8 seed thanks to a three-game winning streak.
After building a 15-point third-quarter lead, L.A. squandered it all and then some, falling behind by four points in the game’s final five minutes. While a sleepy Staples Center came alive when James drove hard to the hoop to earn a pair of free throws, the crowd groaned when the four-time MVP’s late-game free-throw struggles persisted.