Lakers vs Hawks Preview: Anthony Davis Out on Second Night of Back-to-Back

Los Angeles Lakers face tough challenge without Anthony Davis. LeBron James needs to step up as team leader. Energy and defense crucial.

The Los Angeles Lakers faced a tough challenge on the second night of a back-to-back and their third game in four days, as they had to take on the Atlanta Hawks without their superstar big man Anthony Davis. Davis, who aggravated a groin injury in the previous game, was set to miss his third game of the season. This left the Lakers without arguably their best player, putting even more pressure on LeBron James to lead the team.

The key to success for the Lakers in this game was to come out with the proper energy from the start. Too often, they had started games looking uninterested, which put them at a disadvantage. Without Davis, this lack of energy simply couldn't be the case. The team needed to step up, particularly D'Angelo Russell, Christian Wood, and Jaxson Hayes, to cover for Davis' absence offensively and defensively.

Jarred Vanderbilt and Austin Reaves were also looking to bounce back from their previous performances. The Lakers missed Vanderbilt's energy in the last game, and Reaves was nearly invisible at times. The team needed them to reach their full potential. Energy and defense were crucial against the Hawks, especially on the perimeter, as Atlanta was strong in 3-pointers and second-chance points.

Despite the challenges, the Lakers had a chance to steal a much-needed road win if they brought maximum effort from the start. Key reserves for the Lakers included Jarred Vanderbilt, Rui Hachimura, Christian Wood, and Max Christie. For the Hawks, key reserves included Bogdan Bogdanovic, De'Andre Hunter, Onyeka Okongwu, and Garrison Matthews.

Overall, the Lakers faced a difficult task without Anthony Davis, but with the right energy and effort, they had a chance to come out on top.