LAKERS ARE IN FREE FALL 3RD IN A ROW UNDER HAMBLEN ATLANTA 114, LAKERS 108.

Byline: Ross Siler Staff Writer

ATLANTA - They have taken three steps down in NBA weight class since Frank Hamblen took over as interim coach last week, from the league-leading San Antonio Spurs to the playoff-contending Houston Rockets to the last-place Atlanta Hawks.

Yet the Lakers have grown more predictable with every loss, falling behind 14-0 in the first 4 1/2 minutes Monday night at Phillips Arena, trailing by 29 points in the second quarter, then staging another furious fourth-quarter comeback.

As in the two previous games, the Lakers came up short, losing 114-108 to an Atlanta team that was playing without three injured starters and trails the expansion Charlotte Bobcats in the Southeast Division.

The Lakers were out of Monday's game for so long, then nearly completed the biggest comeback of the NBA season.

``Right now we're just playing like a bad team,'' Lamar Odom said. ``Right now we're playing like a less-than-mediocre team.''

In their previous two games under Hamblen, the Lakers fell behind by 28 points against San Antonio in the third quarter before threatening late, then trailed by 16 points in the fourth quarter against Houston before having a chance to win on the final possession.

``We're just coming out real lame,'' said Odom, who scored 28 points and grabbed seven rebounds. ``I don't know how to explain it.''

Odom said he felt numb when he looked up at the scoreboard and saw the Lakers trailing by 14 points not even halfway through the first quarter, his team having missed its first eight shots.

He stepped to the foul line and hit two free throws with 7:22 left in the quarter as mock cheers broke out. It was only a brief way station, as the Lakers spent the first half in a free fall.

``We're not that good to do that,'' Odom said. ``We don't have our best player out there, and we're B.S.-ing. I don't understand that.''

They eventually bottomed out early in the second quarter, as Royal Ivey hit a running jumper to make it 48-19 and put the Lakers in jeopardy of threatening the season-high 33 points they fell behind against Memphis in November.

The postgame comments were scathing, especially from Odom, especially in light of the fact that the Lakers are fighting for the eighth and final Western Conference playoff spot.

``Our team defense is worse than it was two weeks ago,'' Odom said. ``You can pick whatever game we lost two weeks ago, and it's worse than that game.''

Said Hamblen: ``I think we got everybody in the game at least, so maybe they'll get their letters this year.''

Added Caron Butler: ``I advised everybody on my team just to turn off the TV and don't read the paper for the next day or so.''

The Lakers (24-22) got as close as 98-97 with 3:21 remaining when Chucky Atkins connected on a 3-pointer, and the Hawks struggled to close out the game with Boris Diaw, Donta Smith and Tony Delk on the floor.

Ross Siler, [phone]

ross.siler(at)dailynews.com

CAPTION(S):

2 photos, box

Photo:

(1 -- color) Lakers forward Brian Cook, left, and Atlanta's Royal Ivey scramble for a loose ball during the Hawks' victory Monday.

(2) Lakers guard Chucky Atkins, who scored 25 points, drives past Atlanta's Royal Ivey during the Hawks' win Monday.

John Bazemore/Associated Press

Box:

GAME RECAP