Washington Wizards vs LA Lakers Game Player Stats and Box Scores for February 29, 2024
The slumping Washington Wizards hoped to end a 12-game losing streak when they visited the LA Lakers on Thursday. Washington could end up as the only winless team in the NBA in February if they fail to get past the Lakers. The Wizards are led by Kyle Kuzma, Deni Avdija and Jordan Poole in the matchup.
Washington's desperation came out with the way they opened the game. They executed well on both ends of the court and they were zipping all over the court. Avdija and Poole had the hot hands but the Wizards got contributions across the roster.
The Lakers, meanwhile, were lethargic, which was likely due to playing less than 24 hours after beating the LA Clippers on Wednesday. They already had a couple of unforced turnovers and missed a handful of open shots. D'Angelo Russell got himself going early but the rest struggled. Washington surprisingly took a 34-31 lead after 12 minutes.
LA played much better in the second period with LeBron James and Anthony Davis torching Washington's defense. "AD" dominated every defender in the paint and caused damage with his scoring and defense. The two superstars' superb play dragged the Lakers to a 70-69 halftime lead.
The second half was a seesaw battle through and through. Fans inside Crypto.com Arena were restless considering how the LA Lakers can't pull away from the Washington Wizards. Anthony Davis was dominant but Jordan Poole answered him point for point.
Davis' shot gave the Lakers a 124-123 lead with 1:03 seconds left in the fourth quarter. A few possessions later, Poole hit a step-back 27-foot 3-pointer to hand the visitors a 126-124 advantage.
Austin Reaves tied the game with a floater but left Washington still had time with 4.1 seconds remaining. Jordan Poole's 31-foot attempt, however, failed to go in, forcing the game to overtime.
The Washington Wizards gamely tried to pull off the upset in the extra period. Kyle Kuzma had five points in overtime but LeBron James, Anthony Davis and D'Angelo Russell dragged the LA Lakers to the win.
James had several crucial plays including a big block on Jordan Poole who attempted a dunk. Kuzma had a chance to send the game into a second overtime but missed. Rui Hachimura grabbed the rebound to give the Lakers a 134-131 OT victory.
Washington Wizards vs LA Lakers game player stats and box scores
Washington Wizards game player stats
LA Lakers game player stats