The Lakers take on the Wizards tonight at home on the second night of a back-to-back. They are coming off a very good win over the Clippers last night, having overcome a 21-point deficit in the fourth quarter behind a vintage LeBron James performance in which he outscored the Clippers in the final frame.
Injury Report
James is questionable, but according to ESPN’s Dave McMenamin he is expected to play. Cam Reddish and Anthony Davis are probable, while Gabe Vincent, Jarred Vanderbilt, and Christian Wood remain out.
Handle Business
The Wizards are tied for the worst record in the league. Tonight, the Lakers need to take care of business and make sure they get the win when they are heavily favored. Last night’s comeback could be the kind of win that can shift a team’s momentum down the stretch, but only if they follow it up by winning the games they should be winning. Tonight is one of those.
There cannot be any complacency. LA needs to come out and take care of business early so they can get as much rest as possible for their guys, as a tough schedule is about to be upon them starting with Saturday’s visit from Denver.
Reaves’ Defense
Austin Reaves managed to come up with a couple of huge defensive plays for the Lakers last night. One criticism of the Russell-Reaves guard tandem has been its lack of defensive presence. If Reaves can step up his defensive tenacity on a more consistent basis, like he did last night, it can really provide some balance to the Lakers’ lineups.
It’s the second night of a back-to-back with LA looking to build off of last night’s impressive comeback win. Can they keep their concentration and get a much needed win over the Wizards, and apply pressure on the teams around them in the standings?
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