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NBA Betting: Atlanta Hawks Season Long Handicapping 1/13/2026 vs. Los Angeles Lakers

by Spencer Toth - 1/13/2026

NBA betting Atlanta Hawks season long handicapping vs Los Angeles Lakers DeAndre Ayton

One of the best ways to consistently churn a profit in the NBA is to focus on one team, get to know the ins and outs of their roster, and capitalize on soft betting markets. This year, Doc’s Sports will be taking a deep dive into the Atlanta Hawks, as we look to stay in the green throughout the season. 

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On Friday night, the Hawks took down the Denver Nuggets 110-87. Jalen Johnson scored a game-high 29 points, but it was the play from Dyson Daniels that really allowed Atlanta to pull away. Daniels posted a 17-point triple double, adding on four steals for a very impressive statline. Denver’s long injury list forced them to go deep into their bench, as Jamal Murray, Nikola Jokic, Jonas Valanciunas, and Cameron Johnson all missed out. Atlanta took advantage of their health advantage, and after dealing with injuries all year themselves, the Hawks were long overdue for a favorable break in their schedule. 

From a betting perspective, we went 2-0 for the second consecutive game. We took the Hawks moneyline at +100 odds, which turned out to be a sweat-free winner after Atlanta exploded for a 36-12 fourth-quarter advantage. In the player prop department, we took Aaron Gordon to go over 5.5 rebounds, a line which he cleared easily after he finished with 9 boards. Our season profit is back over the 25-unit mark as we approach the halfway point of the regular season. 

On Sunday night, the Hawks made it a third straight victory with a 124-111 win over the Golden State Warriors. Steph Curry and Jimmy Butler both scored 30+ points, but the next highest scorer for the Warriors was 10 points from De’Anthony Melton off the bench. The Hawks did a fantastic job of shutting down the Warriors' shooters, holding Golden State to a 10/42 clip from behind the arc. 

Tonight, the Atlanta Hawks (20-21) will look to make a fourth consecutive win when they visit Los Angeles to take on the Lakers (23-14). The Hawks' 13-10 record on the road compared to their 7-11 home record is puzzling, and they will have a great chance to add to their impressive away win streak against the shorthanded Lakers. Los Angeles played last night, losing to the lowly Sacramento Kings. LeBron James and Luka Doncic both suited up yesterday, and their status is still up in the air for tonight. LeBron has stated that he is doubtful for every back-to-back this season, and a cross-conference home game is the perfect chance for him to get some rest. Doncic is also dealing with a lingering groin injury, which means the Hawks could get another break in their schedule against a shorthanded Lakers team. The point spread is -4 in favor of the Hawks, who only have Kristaps Porzingis on the injury report, which implies that the Lakers will be sitting most, if not all of their stars, tonight. 

For Atlanta, a West Coast road trip appears to be exactly what they needed to get back on track. The Hawks went 4-0 on their four-game road trip out West in December, and they are well on their way to another win streak this time around. They are suddenly back up to 9th place in the East, and are just six games back of the 2nd-place New York Knicks. Trae Young is now a distant memory, and the addition of CJ McCollum and Corey Kispert gives the Hawks the platform they need to find sustained success with a very deep bench. McCollum was a team-high +19 against the Warriors in his Hawks debut, as the 34-year-old still has plenty left in the tank and should be one of the best sixth men in the league. 

It is hard to get a great read on tonight’s matchup with the uncertainty surrounding the Lakers' injury report, but it is safe to say that LeBron and Marcus Smart are unlikely to suit up. The duo hasn’t been willing to play on back-to-backs this season, and this doesn’t feel like the matchup where they will break that trend. Doncic has been available almost every night this season, but a sudden groin injury could be used as an excuse for the Lakers to sit him, too. 

That leaves DeAndre Ayton as the only healthy Laker averaging 10+ PPG. Ayton has found success in Los Angeles since moving on from Portland, as he has provided the Lakers with the physicality they have been missing since Anthony Davis was traded. The Hawks have issues at center with Porzingis on the sidelines, and they don’t have anyone powerful enough to handle Ayton in the paint. Onyeka Okongwu is too slender for Ayton’s strength, while Johnson is giving up four inches in height against the Bahamian big man. This will allow Ayton to feast on the inside, but it still won’t be enough for the Lakers to pull off the win. 

Even if Doncic suits up, the Hawks still have enough firepower and depth to extinguish the Lakers tonight. Atlanta does a great job at crashing the glass; they are always hungry on defense, and now that Daniels has found his offensive rhythm, there is nothing that can slow this team down. They may not have a lethal scorer like Doncic at their disposal, but the combination of Johnson, Alexander-Walker, McCollum, and Kennard gives them plenty of deep-ball threats. Their unselfish play on the offensive end will be the difference maker, and we will lay one unit on the Hawks moneyline for our first bet of the night. A shorthanded Lakers side looks to be a prime victim for the Hawks to extend their win streak, but we will keep our profits in the bank with a single unit on the moneyline. 

The opposite is true in the player prop department, as I am all over Ayton to have a big game down low. We will play three units on Ayton to record 24.5 or more points + rebounds, while sprinkling one unit on his double double at +150. Ayton continues to get starter minutes thanks to his strong play down low, and he will have plenty of chances to get his hands dirty in the paint. His physicality will allow him to crash the glass, and he will quickly reach this line with a few putback shots. The Hawks are poised to extend their win streak tonight, and a third straight winning night could bring us over to the 30-unit mark on our season’s profit. 

Pick: Atlanta Hawks Moneyline -160 1 Units

Pick: DeAndre Ayton Over 24.5 Points + Rebounds 3 Units

Pick: DeAndre Ayton Double Double +150 1 Unit

2025-26 Season Record:
Moneyline: 8-4

Spread: 15-12

Total: 1-6

Player Props: 24-15

Overall: 49-37

Total Units: Up 27.4 Units 

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