LA Lakers vs Washington Wizards Match Preview, Prediction, Betting Odds & Spreads - March 19th, 2022 | NBA Season 2021-22
![LeBron James erupted for 50 points the last time the LA Lakers battled the Washington Wizards. [Photo: Los Angeles Times]](https://staticg.sportskeeda.com/editor/2022/03/f43d8-16476826806522-1920.jpg?w=500)
The LA Lakers will continue their four-game road trip with a stop at Capital One Arena to face the Washington Wizards on Saturday. LeBron James dropped his first 50-point game of the season against Washington just a week ago. LA will be looking to close out their mini-series with the Wizards via a sweep.
James and Russell Westbrook arguably played their best game as a duo to end their three-game losing streak by beating the Toronto Raptors in overtime. The former had 19 of his 36 points in the pivotal fourth while the latter scored the game-tying basket to force extra time.
As a unit, the LA Lakers finally had significant contributions from up-and-down the roster, a glaring difference compared to the last few games. They’ll need more of this type of game to nail a coveted spot in the play-in.
The Washington Wizards, on the other hand, are in a deep funk as they have lost their sixth consecutive game. They are currently 11th in the stacked East and need to play much better to catch the Atlanta Hawks for the 10th and final play-in ticket.
“I enjoy playing at MSG….I love this city, I miss this city a lot, I miss a lot of people here.
“It is what it is, but I enjoyed my time here, and I only have good memories…”
— Kristaps Porziņģis on still getting booed at Madison Square Garden https://t.co/SjtbUo4I67
Kristaps Porzingis was huge against his former team, the New York Knicks, but could not stave off another brutal loss. The Washington Wizards' poor second quarter had them on their heels for most of the game. Despite Kyle Kuzma and Corey Kispert also playing well, they just weren't able to get over the hump. It seems that without Bradley Beal, they’ll have an early offseason.
Match Details
Fixture: LA Lakers vs Washington Wizards | 2021-22 NBA season
Date & Time: Saturday, March 19th; 8:00 PM ET (Sunday, March 20th; 6:30 AM IST)
Venue: Capital One Arena, Washington, DC
LA Lakers Preview
![The LA Lakers could win back-to-back games for the first time since early January if they beat the Washington Wizards on Saturday. [Photo: NBA.com]](https://staticg.sportskeeda.com/editor/2022/03/ca286-16476830808157-1920.jpg)
The LA Lakers had a really good start, which gave them the confidence that they could finally win a game without asking LeBron James to score 50. LA’s 33 first-quarter points gave them a slight lead over the Toronto Raptors but seemingly also provided them with a morale boost.
The last time the LA Lakers faced the Raptors, they gave up a demoralizing season-low 12 points in the first 12 minutes of the game. They also mustered an embarrassing 17 points versus the Minnesota Timberwolves and 22 against the Phoenix Suns, respectively.
LeBron James is only 20 Points away from being the No. 2 All-Time leading scorer in NBA HISTORY. 👑 https://t.co/KvXIvDVd7e
Getting off to a good start and playing solid defense to keep opponents from running away early on could be the Lakers’ biggest adjustment to avoid blowouts. If their superstars can get decent contributions from the rest of the team, LA could end up with rare back-to-back wins.
LA Lakers Predicted Lineup
G - Russell Westbrook | G - Malik Monk | F - LeBron James | F - Wenyen Gabriel | C - Dwight Howard
Washington Wizards Preview
![The Washington Wizards are facing uncertainties this summer. [Photo: NBC Sports]](https://staticg.sportskeeda.com/editor/2022/03/e45b3-16476832047077-1920.jpg)
The Washington Wizards are likely unable to keep up with the Atlanta Hawks for the last play-in berth. They are on a six-game losing streak and have won only six of their last 20 games. They have been miserable on both ends of the floor during that span. Their once-promising season has inevitably gone down the drain, particularly after Bradley Beal went down with a season-ending injury.
Pride might be the only thing the Washington Wizards will have to play for. They were scorched by LeBron James in their first meeting and will be looking to split their season series versus the LA Lakers on their home floor.
The Washington Wizards will feel they have a very good chance of ending their losing slump by defeating the Hollywood team. LA are also 6-14 in their last 20 games and have been repeatedly embarrassed, especially on the road. The Wizards will have to do better, though, as they can’t afford to let LeBron James have another big night.
Washington Wizards Predicted Lineup
G - Raul Neto | G - Kentavious Caldwell-Pope | F - Corey Kispert | F - Kyle Kuzma | C - Kristaps Porzingis
LA Lakers vs Washington Wizards Betting Odds & Spreads - March 19, 2022
Both the LA Lakers and Washington Wizards will be playing the second game of a back-to-back. The Washington Wizards are slightly favored, though, as they will be playing in front of their home crowd. Additionally, LA has been on the road in their previous two games, traveling to Minnesota and then to Toronto before heading to DC.
The younger Washington Wizards could take advantage of the road-weary Lakers to avenge their loss to the Tinseltown team when they met a few days ago. Washington’s leaky defense, which has plummeted in their last 20 games, will have to be at least average for them to have a chance of winning.
Odds sourced from FanDuel SB
LA Lakers Betting Tips
- LeBron James is going for the scoring title this season despite the Lakers’ struggles. He’s averaging 32.9 points on 53.3% shooting from the field.
- LA is 2-5 against the spread in their last 7 games.
- The LA Lakers have gone OVER in six out of their last nine games.
Click here on FanDuel SB to bet on LeBron James scoring the first basket
Washington Wizards Betting Tips
- Kyle Kuzma has been impressive in his first year with the Wizards following the Russell Westbrook trade. “Kuz” is posting 19.7 points in their last 10 games.
- The Wizards are 1-6 against the spread in their last 7 games.
- Washington has gone OVER in each of their last 5 games.
Click here on FanDuel SB to bet on Kyle Kuzma scoring the first basket.
Lakers vs Wizards Match Prediction
The LA Lakers’ win over the Toronto Raptors should be big morale and confidence-booster. They just beat a playoff-bound team on the road that annihilated them a few days ago. If they have enough gas in the tank, they could sweep the Wizards in their season series.
- The Lakers’ win over the Raptors was just their first in their last 12 road games.
- LA has gone OVER against an Eastern Conference opponent in 6 of their last 7 games.
- Washington is 0-8 against the spread in their last 8 games versus teams from the Pacific Division.
Click here to register on FanDuel SB and bet on the Lakers vs Wizards game
Where to watch the Lakers vs Wizards game
The NBA League Pass will stream the game live. Local coverage of the matchup is available via NBC Sports Washington and Spectrum SportsNet.