The Los Angeles Lakers have been gelling at the right time, though they entered their matchup against the Washington Wizards a little shorthanded.
Luka Doncic was ruled out for the contest after picking up his 16th technical foul the game prior against the Brooklyn Nets. Marcus Smart was also unavailable as he continues to deal with an ankle contusion. However, even without Doncic and Smart available Los Angeles was considered a massive favorite as Washington is looking toward the future.
The Lakers have a tendency to play down to their competition at times, and that seemed to be the case in the opening period against the Wizards as they allowed them to take a lead. The second quarter was a different story, though, as Los Angeles finally started to execute and walked into halftime with a 21-point lead.
While the Wizards threatened the Lakers in the third quarter with a run of their, the latter regained control in the fourth quarter thanks to some better offensive possessions. L.A. would go on to beat Washington 120-101 and extend their winning streak to three games.
With Doncic out, LeBron James found himself as a focal point offensively and he didn’t disappoint as he orchestrated the team beautifully against a young and inexperienced Wizards defense. James used his size and physicality to get into the paint, doing damage both as a scorer and playmaker.
Not only did James get the crowd going with a couple of dunks, but he also found his bigs open in the paint for their own easy jams. No matter what coverages the Wizards threw at James, he always found a way to make them pay.
James finished the night with a triple-double of 21 points, 10 rebounds and 12 assists.
Following James’ lead, Austin Reaves looked more the part of point guard than scorer as he constantly found teammates open for wide-open looks. Reaves has been great at getting into the painted area, and he wreaked havoc whenever he created space.
Reaves played less than 30 minutes, but still managed to compile 19 points, nine assists and three rebounds.
Lastly, Deandre Ayton and Jaxson Hayes had a perfect night shooting from the field. The two bigs shot a combined 13-of-13, good for 31 points. Hayes, in particular, was dominant with 19 points and seven rebounds on 8-of-8 shooting, including a rare 3-pointer.
What’s next for the Lakers
The Lakers complete their back-to-back set on Tuesday night against the Cleveland Cavaliers. They then draw the defending champions the Oklahoma City Thunder on Thursday, marking an excellent opportunity to measure themselves against the league’s best team.
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