The LA Lakers were back in action on Tuesday night when they welcomed the Washington Wizards at Crypto.com Arena. The Lakers were coming off a disappointing loss to the LA Clippers, while the Wizards were trying to survive a six-game road trip.
Coach Brian Keefe used his regular starting lineup consisting of Bub Carrington, Jordan Poole, Bilal Coulibaly, Kyle Kuzma and Alex Sarr. Kuzma was back to face his former team amid rumors of a potential trade ahead of the deadline.
Meanwhile, coach JJ Redick didn't make any changes to his starters, which include Austin Reaves, Max Christie, Rui Hachimura, LeBron James and Anthony Davis. James was coming off a trip to Atlanta yesterday to watch Ohio State win the national championship.
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After a tight first quarter, the LA Lakers dominated the rest of the way, especially in the second half. Anthony Davis had another great game with 29 points, 16 rebounds, five assists and four blocks. LeBron James dropped another triple-double, finishing with 21 points, 10 rebounds and 13 assists.
Bilal Coulibaly had a team-high 17 points for the Washington Wizards. Jorda Poole scored 15 points on 18 shots, while Kyle Kuzma produced 12 points, nine rebounds and five assists in his return to Los Angeles. Rookie big man Alex Sarr had a solid line of 10 points, six rebounds and five blocks.
Washington Wizards vs LA Lakers Player Stats and Box Score
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Washington Wizards vs LA Lakers Game Summary
The first quarter was off to a slow start as both teams were scoreless in the first two minutes. Bilal Coulibaly broke the ice at the 10:16 mark before things got going. It became a back-and-forth affair before the LA Lakers took control late to earn a 29-23 lead.
In the second period, the Lakers started to get away from the Washington Wizards by building a nine-point advantage. The visitors stopped the run to trim the lead to just three before LeBron James put on a show.
The 40-year-old superstar swung the momentum toward the Lakers with a poster dunk on Jonas Valanciunas. They headed back to the locker room at halftime with a comfortable 59-49 lead.
The LA Lakers seized control even more in the third quarter, increasing their lead to as much as 18 points. The Washington Wizards initially appeared to be out of the game, but they persevered to be within nine points with eight seconds remaining.
Gabe Vincent's 3-point shot to end the third sucked the momentum out of the Wizards as the Lakers had an 89-77 lead heading into the final period. Instead of making things difficult for themselves, the hosts cruised through the fourth quarter to get the 111-88 victory.
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