Lakers vs Hawks Predictions, Picks & Odds (Summer League, July 17)

• The Los Angeles Lakers (0-2) and Atlanta Hawks (0-2) square off on Wednesday night in Las Vegas as part of the NBA Summer League.
• No. 1 overall pick Zaccharie Risacher leads the way for the Hawks against Bronny James and the Lakers.
• Check out the section below for our top picks for Wednesday night’s Summer League game.

The Lakers and Hawks are both searching for their first Las Vegas Summer League win on Wednesday night. Bronny James, Dalton Knecht and the Lakers will square off against No. 1 overall pick Zaccharie Risacher, E.J. Liddell and the Hawks. The game is scheduled to tip off at 9:30 p.m. ET and can be seen on ESPN.

Lakers vs Hawks Picks

• Lakers +3.5 (-110)
• Dalton Knecht 25+ points (+150)

Summer League is always hard to predict, but I’m not going to overthink this one. It’s a battle between a pair of 0-2 teams, so it makes sense to pick it to remain close. The Lakers are coming off a 14-point loss to the rival Celtics on Monday night. But in that game, no one was shooting well on the LA side. Dalton Knecht, the Lakers’ first-round pick, was only 7-for-21 from the floor and only 2-for-6 from 3-point range. I expect him to have a better showing tonight.

The spread is +3.5 for the Lakers. I’ll take them to cover. You can get -110 odds on Lakers +3.5 on BetMGM.

Speaking of Knecht, he’s going to get plenty of shots. The Lakers are counting on him to fill an important role for a veteran-laden team that needs immediate contributions from its younger players. Knecht attempted 21 shots on Monday, scoring a total of 19 points. I expect him to take a similar number of shots tonight and make more of them. His odds to score 25+ points are an enticing +150 over at BetMGM.

Lakers vs Hawks Odds

Odds via BetMGM as of Wednesday, July 17. Sign up for BetMGM today using promo code SBD1500 to unlock a $1,500 first-bet offer. 

The Hawks are favored in this game, with the spread set at -3.5. Picking Atlanta at -3.5 or Los Angeles at +3.5 has equal -110 odds. The Lakers are +140 on the moneyline, compared to -165 for the Hawks. The points total is set at over/under 172.5 points, with each bet featuring -110 odds.

Lakers vs Hawks Rosters

The Hawks are led by Zaccharie Risacher, who was the No. 1 overall pick in the 2024 NBA Draft. He’s joined by fellow rookies Rob Baker II, Jordan Bowden, Nikola Durisic, Makhtar Gueye, Jarkel Joiner, Emmitt Matthews Jr., Nick Ongenda, Keaton Wallace and Moses Wood.

There are also some more experienced players on the roster, including 2023 first-round pick Kobe Bufkin.

Updated Atlanta Hawks Summer League roster to include Makhtar Gueye and E.J. Liddell: https://t.co/jTor9Tvi1E pic.twitter.com/0fF2Zc1e9s

— JJ (@JameelahJNBA) July 10, 2024

The Lakers have the aforementioned rookie duo of Knecht and Bronny James leading the way. Former Florida big man Colin Castleton is also on the squad in Las Vegas this year. Sean East II, a rookie from Mizzou, got plenty of playing time against the Celtics and figures to contribute throughout the Summer League.

Here’s a look at the full Lakers roster:

The Lakers just release their official Summer League roster in Las Vegas. pic.twitter.com/9bHVkaLomX

— Arash Markazi (@ArashMarkazi) July 11, 2024

Which first-round pick will shine on Wednesday night in Vegas? Tune in to ESPN at 9:30 p.m. ET to find out!

And sign up for any of the great sportsbooks mentioned below to claim your welcome bonus before tonight’s Summer League action tips off: