ATLANTA – The hurdle the Lakers had to overcome Friday night to appear functional was remarkably low, with two unimaginably difficult losses in Minnesota and Miami providing the only hurdle the Lakers had to overcome with the motto “Don’t be embarrassed.”

Even though the Lakers are technically 70 points worse than the Timberwolves and Heat, they have shown that they can be a winning team, a team that can share the ball, that can hit shots and, on occasion, a team that can be credible can defend.

“The consistency is probably the frustrating part,” Lakers coach JJ Redick said before the game. “It’s the consistency because the group has shown they can do it. The boys showed that they can do it. It’s just the consistency for everything.”

Against the suddenly hot Hawks, the Lakers showed that they could actually do whatever was necessary to win. And they did so many of the things that usually cause teams to lose.

But victory doesn’t require perfection – just an advantage. And the Lakers couldn’t finish with a win, losing to the Hawks 134-132 in overtime.

With the Lakers ahead in overtime, Anthony Davis’ pass to LeBron James was too loose, and Dyson Daniels stepped in front of it for the ball without a defender between him and a basket putting the ball in front. But James, as he has done so often, came to the ball from behind and directed the ball back to the Lakers with a game-saving shot just over the edge.

Lakers star LeBron James reacts to a foul in the second half on Friday.

(Brynn Anderson/Associated Press)

The Lakers couldn’t get the ball down court cleanly, however, and Atlanta forced a tie with Davis, gaining possession after the ball went out of bounds from James.

With the game on the line, the only player on the court the Lakers didn’t want to get open, Trae Young, opened up and hit a three-pointer. James’ last chance to turn the game around one last time evaporated and the Lakers lost for the seventh time in nine games.

To bring more physicality to the court, Redick D’Angelo moved Russell back to the bench and started Gabe Vincent. Austin Reaves remained out as he recovered in Los Angeles from the back/pelvic injury that cost him four games.

Vincent responded with his best game as a Laker, scoring 12 points and playing the type of defense the Lakers wanted. But he and Davis miscommunicated on an exchange at the top of the key, leading to Young’s face-up game-winning effort and devastating the Lakers on a night where they played mostly good basketball.

James scored 39 points with 10 rebounds and 11 assists, hitting six of 11 from three. Davis had 38 points, 10 rebounds and eight assists, bouncing back after a miserable game in Miami.

The Lakers, in a lifeless slump for most of the last two weeks after a heartbreaking loss to Orlando and a stunning loss to familiar foe Denver, found a real rhythm early in the second half. They unleashed a 13-0 run against the Hawks, flying around the court, making stops while converting on offense, and James even hit a one-legged three-pointer, his shooting drought seemingly over.

But once they did, they allowed Atlanta to make three straight threes, ending any hope of going all the way.

And in the fourth quarter, the team’s execution and decision-making was good. Until it wasn’t the case anymore.

In the final few minutes, the Lakers attempted to drain the clock by continually hitting the ball inside while the shot clock had not yet been triggered. Daniels ran to the ball and Davis jumped in front of him and was called for an illegal screening.

Daniels scored on the next possession to give the Hawks the lead. The Lakers scored two goals late to tie the game, and Max Christie blocked Young’s potential game-winner, sending the game into overtime.

The Lakers weren’t embarrassed on Friday. But they didn’t win either.

And when they return to Los Angeles, that’s the most important thing.