NBA: Lakers lose back to back games and Warriors win over the Nets

(Basketball news) Los Angeles suffered their third successive loss and two in two days against the Atlanta Hawks 129-121. For the Hawks, Trae Young had 36 points and 12 assists, and the Hawks earned their seventh straight win, as Onyeka Okongwu scored 12 of his 16 points in the final period and John Collins further added 20 points in the match. For the Lakers, Malik Monk led Los Angeles with 33 points in the Lakers' third consecutive loss without LeBron James in all those fixtures, Davis helped power the Lakers' strong start with 18 first-half points for 27 points. The Lakers scored a season-high 71 points in the first half while making 71.4% of their shots from the field, but they couldn't continue the hot shooting in the second half. With this result the Lakers (24-27), who were ninth in the Western Conference, fell a season-low three games below .500.

''If our mindset is right we get stops on the defensive end … I think we have a good chance of winning any night,'' Young said.

''We're not in the position we want to be right now but that's OK,'' said Russell Westbrook, who had 20 points and 12 assists. ''We know what we need to do as a team. Just find a way to get over the hump and close games out.''

''He was doing a good job of keeping his body between (Davis) and the basket,'' Hawks coach Nate McMillan said. ''I decided to just stay with him and finish the game.''

''We were close but just have fallen short in the last couple,'' Vogel said. ''We played well in the last two games. We fell short in the end. We've just got to get home and put this trip behind us … and get ready for the next game, whether LeBron is in or out.''

The Warriors won an exciting encounter 110-106 against the Brooklyn Nets who weren’t quite at full strength as they were missing the likes of Kevin Durant and James Harden. For the Warriors, Thompson finished with 16 points, Steph Curry scored 19 points, Andrew Wiggins contributed 24 points and eight rebounds and Jordan Poole added 17 points and six assists off the bench. For the Nets, Patty Mills finished with 24 points and Kyrie Irving scored 32 points. Thompson hit the biggest shot yet of his 2 1/2-year injury comeback, smoothly sinking a 3-pointer with 12 seconds left to send the Golden State Warriors to a much needed victory at the Chase center. With this result, the Warriors remained second in the Western Conference table with an improved record of 37-13.

''It felt amazing, it really did. I missed that feeling,'' Thompson said. ''It felt absolutely amazing.''

'It's important for Klay to feel those big moments. It's been 2 1/2 years,'' coach Steve Kerr said.

''I think I'm figuring out how to play well with these guys and vice versa,'' Thompson said. ''It's hard to simulate that when you're on the sideline watching.''

''It's great having him back. We've had so many injuries and interruptions this year, availability issues, to add a player of his caliber, even if it's just on the road, has been much needed and has been great for our group,'' Nash said. ''Fortunately, the reality of the last 18 months for us is that we've never had an extended run of health. So to have a player that plays on the road and at home is not that different than what we face week to week anyway.''

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