The Atlanta Hawks are in town to face the Los Angeles Lakers and they are looking to get their fourth straight win and even their record to 21-21.
Ahead of the game tonight, the Lakers have made a new addition to their roster, and it is former Hawks 1st round pick Kobe Bufkin, according to ESPN’s Shams Charania. Bufkin was the 15th pick in the 2023 NBA Draft out of Michigan, but after two injury-filled seasons with the Hawks, Bufkin was traded to the Brooklyn Nets this past summer.
The Los Angeles Lakers are signing guard Kobe Bufkin to a 10-day contract, sources tell ESPN. Bufkin has starred for the Lakers’ South Bay NBA G League affiliate and spent some time with the Grizzlies this season.
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) January 13, 2026
Bufkin appeared in 27 games over the course of his two-year career with the Hawks, averaging 5.0 points and 1.6 assists in 11.9 minutes. He saw action in 14 games with the College Park Skyhawks of the NBA G League, recording 23.6 points, 5.4 rebounds, 5.9 assists, and 1.4 steals in 32.0 minutes (.444 FG%, .356 3FG%, .829 FT%).
Who wins tonight?
Jan 11, 2026; San Francisco, California, USA; Atlanta Hawks forward Jalen Johnson (1) looks for an open teammate as he is double-teamed by Golden State Warriors guard De’Anthony Melton (8) and forward Jimmy Butler III (10) during the fourth quarter at Chase Center. Mandatory Credit: D. Ross Cameron-Imagn Images | D. Ross Cameron-Imagn Images
Atlanta’s offense is starting to pick up in recent games, and I think it is only going to get better when they get Risacher and Porzingis back to join CJ McCollum. Right now, they are 8th in points, 8th in FG%, 4th in 3P%, 23RD in FT%, 25th in rebounds (27th in OREB, 17th in DREB), 1st in assists, and 17th in turnovers per game. They’re 17th in offensive rating this year.
The Hawks defense is also getting better and played really well against the Warriors on Sunday night. If they face a team with either Doncic, James, or both, they are going to have a big challenge on their hands.
The Hawks’ defense ranks 23rd in points allowed, 22nd in FG% allowed, 9th in 3P% allowed, 26th in rebounds allowed, 8th in steals, and 16th in blocks. They’re 14th in defensive rating this year.
The Lakers have been one of the best offenses in the NBA this season, but who they have on the court tonight will be a bit of a mystery. The Lakers rank 7th in PPG, 2nd in FG%, 30th in 3p%, 22nd in FT%, 26th in rebounds (24th in OREB and 25th in DREB), 26th in assists per game, and 19th in turnovers per game. The Lakers are 11th in offensive rating this season.
It is not pretty defensively for the Lakers. They are 17th in PPG allowed, 28th in FG% allowed, 26th in 3P% allowed, 3rd in rebounds allowed, 6th in steals, and 30th in blocks. Los Angeles is 26th in defensive rating.
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