Lakers bounce back vs Wizards
After an embarrassing loss to the Clippers in the Intuit Dome, the Lakers had a chance at redemption tonight against the Wizards. Los Angeles was a -13.5-point favorite coming into the game, their largest spread of the season.
Respectfully, against a team like Washington, you would typically expect the Lakers to cover the spread. Considering this team just came off of a nail-biter against the Brooklyn Nets, there wasn’t abundant confidence for Los Angeles to dismantle them as they should.
Lakers offensive roller-coaster
To begin the game, Los Angeles turned the ball over twice in the first two minutes and battled with the Wizards for the lead. Although their offense hasn’t been fantastic lately, tonight, they were able to put some things together.
Although the Lakers shot only 32% from three as a team, they shot nearly 50% from the field and scored 111 points.
While you can point to the opponent, if you watched the game tonight, you could see some genuine defensive talent from both Bilal Coulibaly and Alexander Sarr. Both young players have incredibly high defensive ceilings.
The team was seemingly running more organized sets tonight, or it could just be that they were working. Before the game, JJ Redick was asked about the ratio of “random” basketball vs. “organized basketball, and gave a compelling answer.
JJ Redick was also about the installation of the Lakers’ offensive playbook and playing “organized” vs. “random” as the season has progressed ahead of tonight’s game vs. the Wizards.
His full responses: pic.twitter.com/4CUdK0gD4z
— Khobi Price (@khobi_price) January 22, 2025
For one very intriguing portion of the first half, Redick easily deployed the largest lineup of the season. The lineup was comprised of Gabe Vincent (6’2), Dorian Finney-Smith (6’7), LeBron James (6’9), Anthony Davis (6’10), and Jaxson Hayes (7’0).
Though unconventional, the group paid dividends offensively, and it may be something to consider strategically in spots moving forward.
showtime Basketball
Tonight was a game filled with highlight after highlight for the Lakers. From the second quarter on, Los Angeles played like a team that knew they were better. At one point in the second quarter, they even established an 18-point lead.
Austin Reaves was at the center of quite a few of those highlight plays. Fitting in smoothly to his heavier dosage of facilitating, Reaves was able to find not only Anthony Davis for a myriad of alley-oops but also found LeBron James on an alley-oop that brought the entire building, Bronny included, to their feet.
BRONNY COULDN’T BELIEVE THIS ALLEY-OP POSTER BY LEBRON 🤯 pic.twitter.com/bTTUYLjJ01
— Lakers All Day Everyday (@LADEig) January 22, 2025
In the 4th, the great play didn’t end as the team began to lock down defensively. Although it was Washington, the Lakers held the Wizards to just 11 fourth-quarter points and forced six turnovers. This team, even in a win, still needs a big and maybe even one more scorer, but tonight felt good.
Lakers Standout Performances
Anthony Davis: 29 points, 16 rebounds, 4 blocks
AD had his way tonight on offense and defense, carefully picking his spots and getting into a groove early. He had to figure out the young talent Alexander Sarr, but it did not take him long.
LeBron James: 21 points, 10 rebounds, 13 assists, 2 steals
LeBron had full control of this game from just about the get-go. By the second quarter, he was already on triple-double watch, and when he finally secured his tenth rebound in the fourth quarter, the crowd enthusiastically let him know it.
Dorian Finney-Smith: 16 points, 2 rebounds, 6/8 FG, 4/6 3P
Dorian Finney-Smith has had a wild last few weeks. He was traded across the country, had to find his rhythm with a new team, had to deal with a devastating natural disaster instantly, and has become a father.
Through all of this and a new report today that he’s been on an injury-based minutes restriction, Finney-Smith has battled through it all and had his best game tonight as a Laker.
