Lakers’ Anthony Davis, LeBron James Uplift Fans vs. Wizards amid NBA Playoff Picture

Timothy Rapp@@TRappaRTFeatured Columnist IVApril 4, 2024

Dylan Buell/Getty Images

The Los Angeles Lakers let the lowly Washington Wizards hang around a bit more than expected on Wednesday night, but ultimately Anthony Davis and LeBron James prevailed.

The former was fantastic in the 125-120 win, putting up 35 points, 18 rebounds, three blocks and two steals. The latter had another workmanlike performance by his own lofty standards, with 25 points, nine assists, six rebounds and three steals.

NBA @NBAWHAT A PASS FROM LEBRON! 🤯

Lakers-Wizards | Live on the NBA App
📲 https://t.co/s78eEoSMao pic.twitter.com/Yw8lRwKt8B

NBA @NBALeBron turned on the JETS to beat the 1H buzzer! 🌬️

Lakers-Wizards | Live on the NBA App
📲 https://t.co/s78eEoSMao pic.twitter.com/3XPEbscnZF

The Wizards, behind Jordan Poole’s 29 points, outscored the Lakers by 10 points in the fourth quarter and made things hairy for a 44-33 Lakers team that needs every last win in its last-gasp effort to avoid the Play-In Tournament.

Ultimately, AD and LeBron weren’t going to let them lose, and the duo earned its plaudits on social media after the contest:

Mike Trudell @LakersReporterLeBron and AD combined for 7 straight Lakers points to restore some order in Washington after the Wizards had two 3-point attempts to take the lead.

It’s 114-105 LAL with 4:15 to play.

Harrison Faigen @hmfaigenWhen the Lakers get an assistant coach who just reminds players at every stoppage that Anthony Davis is good at basketball they’ll be cooking.

Lakers Basketball @_LakersBballLucky both LeBron and AD played this game or else this would have been a loss. Yes it was a second night of a B2B and the end of a road trip but you got to take care of business against a poor team. The end of bench guys coming in and playing like that aren’t going to cut it.

𝐊𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐓𝐚𝐣 @TajTheKing_30LeBron and AD had to check back in for this 🤣🤣🤣

That was embarrassing but we got it done… I guess

KP @KevinP0210That was a Lebron masterclass 4th quarter #lakers I can see him playing at this level for as least 2+ years, if not 3-4. His bball #iq

🎗NBA•Fan🎗 @Klutch_23Another game where Anthony Davis puts up a monster stat line (35/18/5)

Yet nobody cares anymore. If any other big put up these numbers on a nightly basis, y’all would crown them in the MVP discussion.
Instead y’all still try and argue AD not top 10 when he’s closer to top 5.

JAY🖤 LAKESHOW🏆 @nilyaj_Can’t even imagine what this team would be without Anthony Davis he truly special. #LakeShow

The Lakers are now just two games back of the New Orleans Pelicans for the final automatic playoff berth, though both the Sacramento Kings and Phoenix Suns are just one game behind New Orleans.

The Lakers are red hot at the moment, winners of eight of their last nine games. Even if they fail to avoid the Play-In Tournament, they aren’t a team anybody is itching to play at the moment.

Winning, meanwhile, is not something the Wizards (15-62) have done much of at the moment. That made it surprising that the Lakers couldn’t bury the Wizards late in the game, a referendum on a veteran bench.

But at this point for the Lakers, a win’s a win. More often than not, lately, they are finding a way to secure them.