Sorry, Lakers, but Kobe Bryant isn’t coming through that door!

Maybe it’s a good thing that Kobe’s not ready to play for the L.A. Lakers in time for tonight’s bout with the Hawks. It would feel almost unfair for the Hawks to play the Lakers, with the Brittle Mamba on the floor, and not have Dahntay Jones out there checking him.

There are no Easy Buttons getting pushed around Staples Center these days, not by a team that’ll be paying the luxury tax even with nine of its 15 players each making well under $2 million. Absent Bryant, and with Steve Nash needing a break on back-to-back nights, they have to settle for Steve Blake and Jodie Meeks to fill the gaps.

It’s hard to worry about covered championship banners when the players on the court are having trouble covering anybody. The Lakers starting backcourt has had a predictably rough stretch coming out of the gate.

They’ve offered up little defensive resistance with Chris Paul, Steph Curry, and Tony Parker coming at them in successive games. Those three opposing lead guards have racked up 23 assists and just 3 turnovers. Nash was subbed with Jodie Meeks against the Warriors, but Meeks and the Blake Mamba were like putty in the hands of Klay Thompson (38 points).

Nash may be slowed even more after getting sidelined with a quadriceps injury in the third quarter versus San Antonio on Friday.

Atlanta’s Jeff Teague was supposed to be the light at the end of the point guard tunnel for the Lakers, but so far he’s been coming at opponents like a train. His 10.5 assists per game is tied for second in the NBA with Ricky Rubio, while his 2.5 steals per game has his in the Top 15 (tied, coincidentally, with Al Horford and Kyle Korver).

The Hawks’ perimeter shooters could potentially have a field day as well. Starting Laker PG-SGs have managed a combined 4 steals through the first 3 games. While the Hawks are still just ahead of their cussing cousin Wizards in opponent FG% (50.9 FG%), their counterparts tonight are giving up threes at a higher clip (40.6 opponent 3FG% for L.A., 38.3% for Atlanta). It could be a great game to get John Jenkins going, but if he’s DNP-CD’d again, the lotion-smooth swingman with the silky-smooth jumper, Cartier Martin, will do just fine.

Atlanta will want to start strong against the Lakers’ A-team, one that’s been nothing more than an F so far, especially when compared to their reserves. Nick Young, Shawne Williams, Pau Gasol, Blake and Nash have been shooting a combined 32.7 FG%, while the Laker bench has made up 58.9% of the team’s offense while shooting 45.9 FG%.

Starting forwards Young and Williams have shot just 21.9% on field goals, and together have just one total assist through three games. X will be marking the spot tonight, as Xavier Henry (13 PPG) will replace Nick Young (8.3 PPG, 27 FG%) as the starting SF. Henry may be sporting a Frankenstein look in honor of Halloween after stitching up a forehead he gashed against Wesley Johnson’s leg in the first half of the Spurs game. Regarding Henry, Lakers Head Coach Mike "Pringles" D’Antoni says, "He's played as well if not better than anybody. There's no reason not to go ahead and do this."

There may be more things D’Antoni may be pressed to consider as the season wears on. Should he start Kaman and move Pau Gasol back to PF, allowing Jordan Hill more minutes? Should he replace Shawne Williams, a training camp invite, at the starting PF with Hill or even Wesley Johnson? Steve Nash with once-momentary Hawk Jordan Farmar?

The Hawks’ frontline will do well to box out Gasol and especially Hill, who has collected 12 of his team’s 35 offensive rebounds (7 in the win vs. the Clips), while averaging just over 14 minutes per game.

Will we be calling our favorite team the Ballhawks? Atlanta’s 11.5 steals per game rank second so far only to Woody’s Knicks (12.0 SPG), while only the Pacers (15.7 PF/G) have committed fewer personal fouls than the stealthy Hawks (16.0 PF/G)

Let’s Go Hawks!

~lw3