LA Lakers vs Atlanta Hawks Prediction: Combined starting 5 featuring LeBron James and Trae Young

Small Forward - LeBron James (LA Lakers)

LeBron James #23 of the Los Angeles Lakers.

At age 36 and in his 18th NBA season, LeBron James continues to be The King of the NBA.

In a season where he was expected to have lots of rest and pick which games he would play according to his own statement, LeBron James has been available for each of the LA Lakers' 21 games, and he's been great.

His numbers are quite similar to those from last year, but he is shooting better from the three-point line and the free-throw line. James is averaging 25 points, eight rebounds, and seven assists in the 2020-21 NBA campaign.

He is leading the team in scoring and assists per game. Moreover, James has made 49% of his field goals and 41% of his three-pointers so far. From the free-throw line, The King has made 71% of his attempts.

James did not have a great game against the Boston Celtics, however. He scored 21 points, grabbed seven rebounds, and dished out seven assists in 37 minutes. However, he made seven points in the fourth quarter and assisted three times to help the LA Lakers reach their 15th win of the year.

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Power Forward - John Collins (Atlanta Hawks)

John Collins #20 and Trae Young #11 of the Atlanta Hawks.

Forward John Collins has played in every game for the Atlanta Hawks in the 2020-21 NBA season so far. Collins' production has been solid, even though he has not matched his numbers from the 2019-20 NBA campaign.

Last season, Collins averaged 22 points and 10 rebounds per game while making 58% of his field goals and also blocking two shots per night. In the current season, Collins is averaging 16 points per game with 7.7 rebounds. His numbers are still fine, as he has made 54% of his shots and 40% of his three-pointers, but he might need to be more aggressive.

Still, he's had six double-doubles so far and is the team's third-best scorer and second-best rebounder.

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Center - Anthony Davis (LA Lakers)

Anthony Davis #3 of the Los Angeles Lakers.

Anthony Davis has been solid for the LA Lakers in the current season and is giving Frank Vogel's team 22 points and nine rebounds on a nightly basis. However, even Davis has criticized his own performances in the 2020-21 NBA season.

In reality, where Davis is really doing less than expected is at the free-throw line. AD has made 80% of his free-throws during his nine-year NBA career, but he has made only 70% this season, which is his career low.

Apart from that, Davis continues to take a good number of shots per game, has made 52% of his field goals and his 3P shooting remains reasonable. Defensively, he is still giving the LA Lakers a steal and two blocks per game, while leading the squad in defensive rating (third in the league) and ranking second in the NBA in defensive win shares.

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