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Just how much does Anthony Davis' absence impact the LA Lakers? Ideally, it shouldn't be against the Washington Wizards, a team that unfortunately has the league's worst record this season. However, if Jordan Poole and Kyle Kuzma can combine to do what Tyrese Maxey did to LA in the absence of an injured Davis, the Lakers will quickly go 2-2 in their six-game road trip if they are downed at the Capital One Arena on Thursday.
Davis' absence highlights two factors: One; the Lakers will have the challenge of dealing with their star who will roughly miss the remainder of the road stretch, and two, the need for a backup big who does at least half of what Davis does. At best, the likes of LeBron James, Rui Hachuimura, and Christian Koloko will share responsibilities at the five, but this would mean LA still hampered on the defensive end.
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The good news is that they play the Wizards, who are yet to buy a win after losing 16 games on the bounce. The Lakers can push with a hot start and contain Washington. To add, the hosts are coming off a 24-point loss at the hands of the Toronto Raptors. The fatigue and low morale should work in the Purple and Gold's favor as they look to go 3-1 in their away campaign.
The last time both these sides met, it was a blowout 111-88 win for the Lakers with Davis torching the Wizards for 29 points and 16 rebounds. it was also the start of a four-game winning streak before the loss to the 76ers. The task for LA gets only tougher as they face the in-form New York Knicks, the LA Clippers, and the Golden State Warriors in their next three games. The focus however comes back to how many wins the Lakers can notch up with Davis sidelined.
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LA Lakers vs Washington Wizards Preview, Predicted Starting Lineups, Betting Tips, Odds, and Prediction
The LA Lakers vs Washington Wizards skirmish tips off at 7 pm ET. Local coverage will be on Sports-Net LA and Monumental Sports Network. The game can be streamed live on Fubo TV (regional restrictions may apply) and on the NBA app with a subscription to the NBA League Pass.
Here are the odds as listed at the time of writing:
Note: Odds are subject to change closer to tip-off.
LA Lakers vs Washington Wizards Preview
The Lakers have enough in the tank to get past the Wizards even without Anthony Davis. They will also be playing a side that's on a 16-game losing streak and is on the second night of a back-to-back after losing to the Toronto Raptors. The challenge for JJ Redick now is to go deeper into his bag and see if he can fix the center issues while his star big recovers throughout the next three games.
While the Lakers' last game loss can be attributed to them being outplayed by a one-man army in Tyrese Maxey, they will need to bounce back to winning ways with their next three games coming up against stern sides. After the loss to Philly, the Lakers are 111.4 points per game in scoring offense (17th in the NBA) and average 111.5 points per 100 possessions. They continue to be a top-10 side in the field goal offense with 47.7% (8th) and are 19th in the league in 3-point offense with 35.0% of their 3s.
The Wizards will bank on their two big names, Jordan Poole (21.2 points and 5.0 assists) and Kyle Kuzma (14.3 points and 5.7 rebounds), to do the bulk of the work on both ends of the floor. They are 27th in scoring offense, averaging 107.2 points and 102.3 points per 100 possessions. The side is 29th in FG offense (43.6%) and 29th in downtown offense (32.9).
The Lakers' 15th-placed scoring defense should suffice to get them past Washington. They average 112.7 points per game and concede 112.2 points per 100 possessions. The Wizards have the league's worst defense averaging 122 points per contest.
LA Lakers vs Washington Wizards Predicted Starting Lineups
The Lakers will be without Anthony Davis (abdominal muscle strain), Christian Wood (left knee surgery recovery), and Jalen Hood-Schifino (left hamstring strain). Listed questionable are LeBron James (left foot injury management), Gabe Vincent (left knee contusion), and Dorian Finney-Smith (right shoulder contusion). Expect a tweaked lineup on Thursday.
The Wizards are yet to release their official injury report. Ahead of their previous game, they were without the services of Malcolm Brogdon (right foot plantar fascia contusion), Alex Sarr (left ankle sprain), Marvin Bagley III (right knee sprain), and Saddiq Bey (ACL injury).
LA Lakers vs Washington Wizards Betting Tips
Kyle Kuzma is -120/-125 on points and rebounds. Jordan Poole is -110/-115 on points and assists. For the LA Lakers, LeBron James is -115/-104 on points and boards. Austin Reaves is -118/-108 on points and assists.
LA Lakers vs Washington Wizards Prediction
The LA Lakers are still favorites to come out on the winning side. Should their offense fire and their frontcourt fend off the Poole threat, they will inch close to the 30-win mark. Take the Lakers for the win.
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