In an electrifying performance, Anthony Davis unleashed 19 of his total 35 points in the opening quarter, pairing it with 18 rebounds to steer the Los Angeles Lakers to a 125-120 win over the Washington Wizards during Wednesday’s NBA action, marking their eighth win in the last nine games.
LeBron James contributed significantly with 25 points and nine assists, while Rui Hachimura played a solid 19-point game against his previous team. Davis was exceptional, hitting 10 of 17 shots from the field and flawlessly sinking 15 free throws. Jordan Poole was the standout for Washington, leading with 29 points.
The Lakers currently sit ninth in the Western Conference, but they are eyeing a higher spot to bypass the dual challenges in the play-in tournament. As of Wednesday, they trail Phoenix and Sacramento by just 1 1/2 games.
“We want to continue to play good basketball,” James said. “The postseason’s still kind of a ways away. … Postseason prep, all that other stuff is totally different from the regular season, so wherever we fall is where we fall.”
NBA NEWS & SCORES: Anthony Davis, LeBron James, Los Angeles Lakers, Washington Wizards Updates
The Wizards are teetering on the edge of setting a new franchise record for losses, just one loss away from the dubious mark of 63 defeats.
Despite a morale-boosting victory against Milwaukee the night before, Washington kicked off strongly against the Lakers, sinking their first five 3-point attempts and initially leading 19-8. The Lakers faced an early scare when Davis received an unintended elbow to the nose from Tristan Vukcevic, causing a brief pause in the game.
However, Davis’ return was a turning point, overpowering the Wizards with his presence. By the end of the first quarter, he had accumulated 11 free throws, guiding the Lakers to a 39-29 lead.
The Lakers maintained their momentum, extending their lead with a 9-2 run at the start of the third quarter, ultimately holding a comfortable lead. D’Angelo Russell also made his mark with 18 points during the Lakers’ successful six-game road trip.
NBA NEWS & SCORES: Anthony Davis, LeBron James, Los Angeles Lakers, Washington Wizards Updates
Washington attempted a comeback in the fourth quarter, narrowing the gap to just two points and momentarily disrupting the Lakers with a zone defense. However, James’ pivotal spin and dunk over Jared Butler ignited a 12-0 run for the Lakers.
“When we’re scoring at will, teams are going to try to get into a zone and try to slow us down,” Davis said. “We’ve got to be able to get to our zone offense to combat that.”
The game seemed decided with the Lakers ahead, but Washington’s late eight-point surge prompted James and Davis to return to the court. Davis’ crucial block on Butler’s 3-point attempt clinched the Lakers’ victory.
NBA NEWS & SCORES: Anthony Davis, LeBron James, Los Angeles Lakers, Washington Wizards Updates
Lakers coach Darvin Ham reflected on the intensity of the final moments, stating, “I hate the term garbage time,” emphasizing the importance of playing hard regardless of the time or score.
The game also saw James flagged for a flagrant foul after an elbow contact with Deni Avdija during a second-quarter drive.
Looking ahead, the Lakers are set to host Cleveland on Saturday, while the Wizards prepare for a Friday night showdown against Portland.
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