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Lakers drop Atlanta Hawks, 114-109, for second win of the season

Kobe Bryant is defended by Atlanta forward Mike Scott, left, and guard Kent Bazemore, right, during the Lakers' 114-109, win over the Hawks.
Kobe Bryant is defended by Atlanta forward Mike Scott, left, and guard Kent Bazemore, right, during the Lakers’ 114-109, win over the Hawks.
(Erik S. Lesser / EPA)
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Lakers 114 - Atlanta Hawks 109

The Lakers broke their four-game losing streak on Tuesday night, defeating the Hawks in Atlanta, 114-109.

Kobe Bryant scored his 32,000th career point, converting a difficult turnaround fadeaway over noted defender Thabo Sefolosha, plus the foul. Bryant’s basket and free throw pushed the Lakers up to six with just over a minute left in the game, after the Hawks had closed a 17-point deficit to just three.

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Jeff Teague answered with a pair of free throws, but Nick Young, playing his first game of the season after a thumb injury, missed two of three attempts at the line to keep the Hawks’ hopes alive.

Sefolosha’s dunk closed the gap back to three, but Jordan Hill put back his fifth offensive rebound on a Bryant miss, to give the Lakers a five-point lead with 17.7 seconds left.

The Hawks still had a chance, when Kyle Korver nailed a three-pointer with 8.3 seconds. Price split a pair at the line but Pero Antic’s wide-open three-point attempt didn’t fall. Instead, Hill collected the rebound and hit two free throws to end the scoring for the night.

Bryant finished with 28 points on 10-18 shooting (55.6%). The Lakers notched double-doubles with Jeremy Lin scoring 15 with 10 assists, Carlos Boozer 20 with 10 rebounds and Hill with 18 and 10.

Young scored 17 points in his debut. The Lakers shot 54.0% from the field as a team.

Paul Millsap led all scorers with 29 points. Jeff Teague added 23 as the Hawks hit 48.2% from the field. Both teams had 11 turnovers.

The Lakers (2-9) travel to Houston to visit the Rockets (9-2) on Wednesday. The Hawks (5-5) are off until Friday, when they host the Detroit Pistons (3-8).

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Lakers 91 - Hawks 83 (end of third quarter)

The Hawks stormed back into the game to start the third quarter, scoring 13 straight to close the Lakers’ lead to just two points.

Wesley Johnson finally ended his team’s drought, almost 3 ½ minutes into the period, with a driving dunk. The Lakers eventually settled down, pushing their lead back to eight head into the fourth quarter.

Paul Millsap led all scorers with 25 points. Jeff Teague added 17 as the Hawks shot 49.3% from the field.

Carlos Boozer had 20 for the Lakers, followed by Kobe Bryant (19), Jeremy Lin (15), Jordan Hill (12) and Nick Young (12). The team shot 61.3% from the field.

In addition to his six baskets on six attempts, Lin dished 10 assists against three turnovers.

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Lakers 67 - Hawks 52 (halftime)

The Lakers completed their best half of the season, pouring in 67 points in just 24 minutes.

Kobe Bryant scored 19 on just nine shot attempts. Carlos Boozer hit nine of 12 for 18 and Jeremy Lin scored 12 on five shots without a miss. Nick Young added nine in his debut, shooting three of four from the field.

The Lakers shot 61.4% from the field including 5 of 10 from three-point range.

Paul Millsap was tremendous for the Hawks with 19 points in 15 minutes (8-11 shooting), but Atlanta finished the half down 15.

Mike Scott and Jeff Teague contributed eight points apiece but Kyle Korver went scoreless in 18 minutes. The Hawks shot 51.3% from the field.

Lakers 31 - Hawks 20 (end of first quarter)

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Nick Young made his debut and the Lakers quickly pushed a two-point lead to 10, including a 12-point run that included Young’s first points of the season on a pair of free throws.

Paul Millsap led all scorers with 13 points for the Hawks, but the Lakers held Atlanta to just 38.9% shooting from the field.

Kobe Bryant scored 11 points, Jeremy Lin eight and Young added five, including a late three-pointer.

The Lakers shot 50% from both the field and behind the arc (3-6) with just two turnovers.

Pregame

The Lakers (1-9) start a three-game road trip on Tuesday in Atlanta, visiting the Hawks (5-4).

Nick Young will to make his season debut after sitting out with a thumb injury.

The Lakers will play without Ryan Kelly (hamstring), Wayne Ellington (personal matter), Julius Randle (leg) and Steve Nash (back).

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Defensive small forward DeMarre Carroll (groin) is out for the Hawks.

For an in-depth breakdown, check out Preview: Lakers at Atlanta Hawks.

Email Eric Pincus at eric.pincus@gmail.com and follow him on Twitter @EricPincus

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