To avoid starting a losing streak on Tuesday night, the Los Angeles Lakersneeded a win against the Washington Wizards at the Crypto.com arena. In a surprisingly competitive game, the Wizards fought hard to pull off the upset victory but, in the end, they just didn’t have enough to overcome the combined strength of the Lakers.
The Lakers were shot to start the game and looked solid on both ends to take a 29-23 lead into the second quarter. In the first half, the Lakers slowly pulled away with a sizeable lead and were able to keep a distance from the Wizards for the rest of the half. The game continued like that through the fourth quarter until the Lakers cruised to the 111-88 win at home.
Anthony Davis was the leading scorer for LA with 29 points, 16 rebounds, 5 assists, and 4 blocks on 14-22 shooting. LeBron James tallied a 21-point triple-double with 13 assists, 10 rebounds, and 2 steals on 8-18 shooting while Austin Reaves totaled 16 points, 2 rebounds, and 8 assists on 4-15 shooting.
Meanwhile, the Wizards were led by Bilal Coulibaly, who dropped 17 points, 6 rebounds, and 4 assists on 7-15 shooting. Jordan Poole added 15 points, 7 rebounds, and 3 assists in 34 minutes. Finally, Corey Kispert finished with 15 points, 4 rebounds, and 2 assists in 31 minutes off the bench.
The Washington Wizards are far from a complete basketball team but they played well enough tonight to give the Lakers a serious challenge and that’s more than most expected. What made the difference for the Lakers tonight (besides veteran talent) were the same key factors that have helped them find success all season long.
Star Duo Stepped Up
The Lakers only go as far as their stars take them and, fortunately, their stars led the way tonight for their 23rd win of the season. In 30+ minutes on the court, LeBron James and Anthony Davis wreaked havoc on the Wizards and decimated their defensive ambitions.
