Winning against the Brooklyn Nets is one thing. The Atlanta Hawks won that game because they had better talent than Brooklyn, and for the last four minutes of the game, that talent separated itself. However, that formula won't work against the Lakers.

Los Angeles is currently 7th in net rating and they've got the best offensive rating in the league. The trio of Luka Doncic, Austin Reaves and Walker Kessler are, so far, stellar in their 188 minutes together. Those three have a net rating of +24.9 when on the court and this team is going to challenge Atlanta in several ways. Nevertheless, it will be good to see how the Hawks acquit themselves against a very talented Lakers squad helmed by an MVP candidate.

Here are three bold predictions for tonight's game.

1) Hawks shoot 40% from deep

The Lakers have won five straight games, but it hasn't necessarily come through a great perimeter defense. LA concedes 37.5% from deep, which is the sixth-worst mark in the NBA. Atlanta's shooting talent has been one of its strengths thus far, and there are tons of capable floor spacers on the roster. The Hawks average the fourth-most makes in the league and the third-most attempts. This is a team that relies heavily on the three-ball falling, and LA's defense isn't a very intimidating unit.

I could see NAW, CJ and Aaron Wiggins having big shooting games with Jalen Johnson's three-point shot also finally starting to positively regress to its usual levels.

2) Kingston Flemings has 10 assists

As a rookie point guard, Flemings is already averaging 4.4 assists per game. These aren't just empty assists, either. Teammates are shooting 78% on the passes he throws to them, which is in the 82nd percentile of all point guards. He's got a knack for seeing the court and finding the exact moment at which to thread a pass straight to the open man.

The turnovers are a little high, but I believe that the Lakers are a great opponent for Flemings to show off his playmaking against. They're 3rd in steals, which could lead to some turnovers if they blitz him. However, they also concede the 10th-most transition points per game and that could lead to some easy assists for the young guard if LA's defense can't get back fast enough.

3) Jalen Johnson finishes with a 20+ point triple-double

Johnson hasn't played very well to start the season, but he looked surgical in the halfcourt during the fourth quarter of the Nets game. That needs to carry over into the matchup with LA if the Hawks want to win this game.

In particular, I think Johnson is set up to have a massive game as a rebounder and passer. LA is 28th in defensive rebounds per game, so there's really not a lot of resistance outside of Walker Kessler on the boards. Furthermore, while LA forces a lot of turnovers, there isn't a strong, physical defender like LeBron on the roster anymore to bother JJ. He's always struggled against LA and being guarded by James hasn't helped. He's averaging 15.9 points on a measly 41.7 TS% in the 47 possessions he's had against James since 2024.

That matchup is no longer one that he has to worry about. Matisse Thybulle and Jake LaRavia can be serviceable at times, but neither one of them is strong enough to handle JJ's physicality and they aren't very prepared to deal with his burst. Thybulle might be able to get a few steals off Johnson, but I expect him to have a strong game against LA and continue to build back into the player who sparked excitement over his future as a No. 1 option.