Third quarter report
Only one more quarter stands between the Lakers and the victory they were favorites to achieve tonight. They have jumped out to a 99-95 lead against the Wizards.
If the Lakers keep playing like this, they will increase their record to 33-28 in no time. On the other hand, the Wizards will have to settle for a 9-50 record unless things turn around (and quickly).
Who is playing
Washington Wizards @ Los Angeles Lakers
Current records: Washington 9-49, Los Angeles 32-28
How to watch
- When: Thursday February 29, 2024 at 10:30 pm ET
- Where: Crypto.com Arena – Los Angeles, California
- TELEVISION: Monumental Sports Network
- Continue: CBS Sports App
- Online transmission: fuboTV (Try it for free. Regional restrictions may apply.)
- Ticket cost: $35.00
What to know
The Lakers will play the full four quarters on Thursday, but are expected to have everything figured out well before then. After playing yesterday, they will do it again and host the Washington Wizards at 10:30 pm ET on February 29 at Crypto.com Arena. The momentum surely favors the Lakers, as the team has three consecutive wins at home, while the Wizards have not had much luck on the road, with five consecutive road losses.
Although the Lakers haven't fared well against the Clippers recently (they were 2-8 in their previous ten meetings), they didn't let the past get in their way on Wednesday. The Lakers recorded a 116-112 victory over the Clippers. The victory was even more spectacular given that the Lakers were down by 21 points with 11:45 left in the fourth quarter.
It was another big night for LeBron James, who went 7-of-12 from beyond the arc en route to 34 points and 8 assists. He hasn't dropped below 25 points in four straight games.
We saw a pretty high 245 over/under line set for the Wizards' previous matchup, but the actual score was more realistic. They took a 123-112 hit in the loss column at the hands of Golden State on Tuesday. The Wizards have struggled against the Warriors recently, as their meeting on Tuesday was their fourth straight loss.
Although the team lost, they still put in some impressive performances. One of the best came from Tyus Jones, who had a double-double with 14 points and 17 assists. He didn't help the Wizards' cause much against the Cavaliers on Sunday, but the same can't be said for this game. Marvin Bagley III was another key contributor, nearly posting a double-double with 20 points and nine rebounds.
The Lakers' victory raised their record to 32-28. As for Washington, they have been struggling recently as they have lost 18 of their last 20 games, which noticeably affected their 9-49 record this season.
In this contest, the number of possessions is likely to be a major factor: the Lakers have not given the ball away easily this season, having averaged just 13.2 turnovers per game. It's not like the Wizards are struggling in that department, though, as they've averaged just 13.6 turnovers per game. Given these competing strengths, it will be interesting to see how their clash plays out.
The Lakers prevailed in an exciting game against the Wizards in their previous matchup in December 2022, stealthily edging out 119-117. Will the Lakers repeat their success or do the Wizards have a better game plan this time? We will know very soon.
Odd
Los Angeles is a heavy 9.5-point favorite against Washington, according to the latest report. NBA Odds.
Bettors had a good idea of the line for this one, as the game began with the Lakers as 10.5-point favorites.
Bettors expect fireworks from the offense and set the over/under at 242.5 points.
See NBA selections for every game, including this one, from SportsLine's advanced computer model. Get Picks Now.
History of the series
Los Angeles and Washington have 5 wins in their last 10 games.
- December 18, 2022: Los Angeles 119 vs. Washington 117
- December 4, 2022 – Los Angeles 130 vs. Washington 119
- March 19, 2022: Washington 127 vs. Los Angeles 119
- March 11, 2022: Los Angeles 122 vs. Washington 109
- April 28, 2021: Washington 116 vs. Los Angeles 107
- February 22, 2021: Washington 127 vs. Los Angeles 124
- November 29, 2019 – Los Angeles 125 vs. Washington 103
- March 26, 2019 – Los Angeles 124 vs. Washington 106
- December 16, 2018 – Washington 128 vs. Los Angeles 110
- November 9, 2017 – Washington 111 vs. Los Angeles 95