On Wednesday, the LA Lakers went up against the Washington Wizards in their last road game before heading back home to host the Cleveland Cavaliers. LA is on a two-game winning streak and is hoping to keep the streak alive.
They are only two games behind the New Orleans Pelicans, who are currently ranked sixth in the Western Conference. Los Angeles winning their game against Washington will put them in a better position to take the sixth seed in the 2024 NBA Playoffs.
The Lakers dominated the first quarter, establishing a 39-29 lead to set the game's tone. Anthony Davis caught fire in the opening period, scoring 19 points. D'Angelo Russell provided efficient support for Davis, adding eight points.
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Jordan Poole was in double-scoring figures in the first quarter with 13 points in an attempt to match "AD's" pace. However, Davis' relentless assault was too much for the Wizards to handle, favoring the Lakers.
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LeBron James then managed to keep the LA Lakers' lead alive with an 11-point second-quarter performance. With their star big man cooling down, the "King" needed to step up or else things could've turned out bad for them.
Kyle Kuzma did everything he could to cut the lead down after scoring nine points, including a much-needed three-point bomb for the Washington Wizards. Poole continued to deal damage alongside Kuzma, accumulating 18 first-half points. Their efforts kept the game within reach with a 67-60 finish.
Come the third quarter, the Lakers were able to pull away further with a commanding 15-point lead of 101-86. The Purple and Gold starters put up a team effort equally scoring the ball to extend their lead.
D’Angelo Russell added seven points, Anthony Davis and Rui Hachimura with six points each, then LeBron James and Austin Reaves added five points respectively. The Wizards couldn’t respond to LA’s assault in the third.
However, the tides turned in the fourth quarter wherein they held the Lakers to 24 points versus their 34 points in the final period. Despite nearly completing a comeback, the Purple and Gold managed to escape a sticky situation and came up with a 125-120 victory.
Anthony Davis put up a huge double-double performance to help the Lakers secure the win. All four remaining starters were in double-scoring figures to help their star big man dethrone Washington.
LA Lakers vs Washington Wizards game: Player stats and box scores (April 3)
LA Lakers player stats
Washington Wizards player stats
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