With Anthony Davis officially out for an extended period, the shorthanded Lakers stepped up and beat the Wizards, 119-117, to win their second home game in a row in their last homestand of the year.
The Lakers improved to 13-16 thanks to a fourth-quarter rally led by LeBron James and Austin Reaves, who scored eight of the team’s last ten points. Lonnie Walker IV had a bounce-back game with 21 points, and James led all players with 33.
No AD meant the Lakers had to change their starting lineup. After Thomas Bryant’s season-best performance against Denver, he was awarded the starting center spot and Reaves was put in to replace the injured Patrick Beverley, who was ruled out with a hamstring strain shortly before tipoff.