Two days after the Lakers have been saying it might virtually by no means be straightforward, virtually by no means got here to city.
The Washington Wizards, who’ve received a league-low six instances, have been the remedy for the Lakers after a loss Sunday to the Clippers uncovered various their weaknesses. The postgame morale was low, LeBron James and JJ Redick overtly discussing how their roster wouldn’t have the ability to organically enhance an already slender margin for error.
However with the halfway level of the season right here Tuesday, the Lakers (23-18) noticed the one staff within the NBA dangerous sufficient to make anybody — even the Lakers — really feel like they’ve bought it discovered.
The Lakers did the best issues constantly over 4 quarters, barely being threatened earlier than profitable 111-88 Tuesday in a sport they desperately needed to have earlier than internet hosting Boston on Thursday night time.
The Wizards (6-36), within the early phases of a rebuild with eyes on the highest on 2025 NBA draft, haven’t received since Jan. 1. Kyle Kuzma and Jordan Poole are their greatest offensive choices and backup heart Jonas Valanciunas and ahead Corey Kispert their solely different veterans, Washington absolutely dedicated to the long run.
In comparison with the Lakers, whose eyes are squarely on the current, that made Tuesday predictably one-sided — although the Lakers nonetheless wanted to execute.
Anthony Davis had 29 factors and 16 rebounds whereas bullying rookie Alex Sarr. James, recent from watching Ohio State win the faculty soccer nationwide championship on Monday in Atlanta, had his ninth triple-double of the season with 21 factors, 10 rebounds and 13 assists. Austin Reaves, regardless of a four-for-15 taking pictures night time, nonetheless completed with 16 factors and eight assists, and Dorian Finney-Smith had 16 factors off the bench in simply 22 minutes.
The Lakers did it by attacking the paint and discovering the open participant, the staff scoring on greater than a handful of lobs.
The most important spotlight got here when Reaves discovered James for a lob off an offensive rebound, with the 40-year-old Lakers star dunking on Valanciunas.
The Lakers held Washington to 35.8% taking pictures from the sphere and 25.6% taking pictures from three, limiting them to solely 11 factors within the fourth quarter.
