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LOS ANGELES -- Injuries are stunting the growth of the young Los Angeles Lakers.With second-year starting point guard DAngelo Russell missing the last three games and out for the next two weeks, and forward Julius Randle and shooting guard Nick Young sitting out Fridays 24-point romp by the Golden State Warriors, the Lakers stumbled to losses in four of their last five games.Hopefully, we can get them back as soon as possible, said backup point guard Jose Calderon, who has filled in for Russell. We need everybody. On this team, one of the things I think we have is we have a lot of guys who can really play. We play like 10 guys on some nights. Were going to get back to that and its going to help. Lets not get too caught up in the last couple of games.The Lakers (8-9) try to rebound Sunday when they host the Atlanta Hawks. It will be their second and final meeting of the regular season. The Lakers posted a 123-116 victory over the Hawks in Atlanta on Nov. 2.A hip pointer kept Randle out of the last two games. A sore toe on the left foot of Young forced him to be scratched from Fridays contest against the Warriors. Although Lakers coach Luke Walton was hopeful both could play Sunday, Randle was unable to finish practice Saturday after experiencing pain in his hip.The outlook is more optimistic for Young, who hurt himself in Tuesdays victory over the Oklahoma City, a triumph in which the colorful performer hit a game-winning 3-pointer.A leaky defense is hampering the Lakers almost as much as the injuries. They are giving up 111.9 points per game, which is 28th in the NBA. Opponents are shooting 48.7 percent, ranking the Lakers last in the league.Its funny. I think weve gotten better at some things. Were just not doing it consistently enough, Lakers coach Luke Walton said. Sometimes, our defense looks great; other times weve really struggled. There is growth that I see, but there is also slippage.The Hawks (10-6), leaders of the Southeast Division, have fallen on a slippery slope recently, dropping four of their last five contests after a 9-2 start. Atlanta was handed a 95-68 beatdown Friday by the host Utah Jazz, the third time the Hawks suffered a double-digit setback during their rough stretch.Its frustrating to have all this talent and all these good players and be a mediocre team, said Hawks guard and former Laker Kent Bazemore, according to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Its tough. It sucks to be a competitor and have your face bashed in on a nightly basis, two of the last three games. It burns.Ex-Laker Dwight Howard returns for the first time in a Hawks uniform. Howard, who was third in the NBA in rebounding at 12.9 boards per game heading into Saturdays games, signed with his hometown team during the offseason after spending the last three campaigns with the Houston Rockets.Howard averages 14.1 points. Paul Millsap leads the Hawks in scoring at 16.6 points, while guard Dennis Schroeder averages 14.3. Jeff Hornacek Jersey . Miller reached right to deflect Mikhail Grabovskis attempt with just over 2 minutes remaining in regulation, and then made two more saves in the shootout Sunday to give the Sabres a 2-1 win over the Washington Capitals. Rudy Gobert Jazz Jersey . Supported by three-run homers from Jayson Werth and Wilson Ramos, the young right-hander went seven strong innings in the Washington Nationals 8-4 victory over the Arizona Diamondbacks on Friday night. http://www.jazzauthentic.com/kids-john-stockton-jazz-jersey/ . Laudrup revealed Thursday he was notified of his dismissal in "the briefest of letters which gave no reasons why such hasty and final action was deemed necessary. Karl Malone Jazz Jersey . Both players have lower body injuries that will keep them out of the lineup until at least January 31, which is the first game they can be activated from IR. Rudy Gobert Jersey . Thats not a comment on the suspension that banished the Portland Winterhawks general manager and coach from his Western Hockey League teams bench for most of the 2012-13 season. On Wednesday, Texas Rangers designated hitter Prince Fielder?announced his career is over after doctors?told him that he can no longer physically play the game of baseball.Teammates and coaches attended Fielders farewell media conference. Shortstop Elvis Andrus?later expressed his gratitude toward Fielder on Instagram.?Fielder isnt formally retiring, so hell stay on the Rangers roster until his contract expires in 2020, reports Jeff Wilson of the Fort-Worth Star Telegram. Fielder will be placed on the 60-day DL during the season and 40-man roster in the offseason.ddddddddddddFielder played in the majors for 12 seasons: seven with the Milwaukee Brewers, two with the Detroit Tigers and three with the Rangers. Fielder batted .269 with 34 home runs and 158 RBIs during his time with the Rangers. He finished his career with 319 home runs, the same number his dad, Cecil Fielder, ended with. ' ' '