The Atlanta Hawks bagged their eighth consecutive victory on Saturday in a tremendous win over the defending champs, the Los Angeles Lakers. What caught headlines, however, is the ankle injury LeBron James sustained during the contest — something that Hawks star Trae Young addressed after the game.

James was forced to exit in the second period of action after injuring his ankle on a loose ball play. For his part, Young had nothing but well wishes for the four-time league MVP:

“I pray he's alright and hope everything's good with him,” Young said, via Sarah K. Spencer of AJC.

Young's Hawks teammate, Solomon Hill, was heavily involved in what has become a controversial injury for LeBron. Hill fell on James' leg during the play, and it was LeBron's right ankle that absorbed Hill's weight.

James has already undergone an MRI, and unfortunately, he has been diagnosed with a high-ankle sprain and will be out indefinitely. A tough blow for the defending champs who are in the midst of a real injury crisis right now.

As for the Hawks, they have just scored their eighth consecutive win, and the fact that this came at the expense of the defending champs is an undeniably significant development for a scorching Atlanta side. The Hawks are the hottest team in the NBA right now as they continue to rise in the standings out East.

Saturday's bout against the Lakers was Atlanta's first game in what is going to be an extended eight-game road trip. They get the Los Angeles Clippers on Monday.