Lakers vs. Hawks Preview: Bronny Takes on No. 1 Pick Lissache – Loser vs. Loser, Who Will Secure Their First Win?

On July 18, the NBA Summer League continues with a matchup between the Lakers and the Hawks.

The Hawks, featuring top pick Lissache, have been under the spotlight during the Summer League, but unfortunately, they are yet to secure a win after two games. Lissache’s performance has been underwhelming, and so far, only Rockets’ third pick Shepard has shown some promise among the rookies.

In their first two games, the Hawks lost 88-94 against the Wizards and 76-79 to the Spurs. Against the Wizards, the Hawks struggled in rebounding, shooting percentage, three-point shooting, and free throws, with Lissache shooting 7 of 16, 3 of 9 from three-point range, and 1 of 2 from the line for a team-high 18 points, 5 rebounds, and 2 assists. Geye added 17 points and 4 rebounds, while Windler contributed 12 points and 8 rebounds, but the team’s overall performance was lacking compared to the Wizards.

In their second game against the Spurs, Lissache again failed to deliver, playing nearly half an hour and shooting 4 of 12, 1 of 7 from three-point range, and 2 of 5 from the line for 11 points, 5 rebounds, and 2 assists, with 1 turnover and 3 fouls. Liddell had a strong outing off the bench with 22 points and 5 rebounds, but it wasn’t enough. Despite being the top pick, Lissache’s performance doesn’t warrant a starting spot in the regular season.

The Lakers’ situation is even worse, having lost all five games in the Summer League. This is largely due to Bronny, whose poor play still garners significant playing time and shot attempts. Due to his connection with LeBron James, Bronny receives preferential treatment and brings attention to the Lakers, but this hasn’t translated into good performances, making him one of the worst-performing rookies in the Summer League.

Over five games, the Lakers lost to the Kings 94-108, to the Warriors 68-92, narrowly to the Heat 76-80, and to the Rockets 80-99, suffering five straight losses. In their opener against the Kings, Bronny started, shooting 2 of 9, 0 of 3 from three-point range, and 0 of 2 from the line for 4 points, 2 rebounds, 2 assists, and 1 steal. The Kings’ Amis led the way with 32 points, 11 rebounds, and 5 assists, overwhelming the Lakers. Without Bronny, the Lakers still struggled against the Warriors, led by Thompson, losing by a large margin.

Against the Heat, Bronny returned to the starting lineup but shot just 1 of 3, scoring 3 points, 5 rebounds, and 3 assists in nearly 30 minutes. In their last game against the Rockets, featuring third pick Shepard and second-year Whitmore, the Lakers were no match despite Knutson’s 25 points, 6 rebounds, and 4 assists. Bronny played nearly 27 minutes, shooting 3 of 14, 0 of 8 from three-point range, and 2 of 2 from the line for 8 points and 5 rebounds.

In their most recent game against the Celtics, the Lakers lost 74-88, continuing their poor offensive form. They shot just 8 of 26 from three-point range (30.8%) and 28 of 77 from the field (36.4%). After the game, “You play like Bronny” became a popular phrase among fans. Bronny started and played 25 minutes, shooting 1 of 5, 0 of 3 from three-point range, for 2 points, 3 rebounds, and 1 assist, with 2 turnovers and 3 fouls. Despite Knutson’s 19 points, the Lakers’ overall performance fell short.

Given Bronny’s actual ability and draft position, his performance can be understood, and he likely won’t be given significant responsibilities after the Summer League concludes. However, Lissache’s situation is different, as last year’s top pick Wembanyama excelled with the Spurs. Lissache must prove himself by delivering expected performances. He demonstrated impressive shooting skills in the French league, hitting nearly 39% from three-point range and 46% overall, while also showing great rebounding and defensive abilities, proving his body is NBA-ready. Tomorrow, two winless teams will face each other, and we’ll see who emerges victorious.

Here are the Summer League rosters for both teams:

Lakers: 4-Knutson, 9-Bronny, 14-Castleton, 21-Lewis, 27-Bodong, 29-Ist, 30-Murphy, 31-Kuze, 36-Hinson, 37-Traore, 38-Forest, 39-Tilly, 40-Brown, 41-Olivari, 50-Mangas, 55-Nicolas

Hawks: 0-Norris, 4-Bafkin, 7-Juric, 8-Bowden, 10-Lissache (No. 1 Pick), 14-Joiner, 16-Matthews, 18-Mohamed Geye, 19-Makhtar Geye, 20-Windler, 22-Wallace, 31-Moses Wood, 32-Liddell, 34-Ongenda, 35-Baker

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