LOS ANGELES, Dec. 19 (BNA): LeBron James scored 33 points and nine assists, Lonnie Walker scored 21 and the Los Angeles Lakers overcame the absence of Anthony Davis to defeat the Washington Wizards 119-117 Sunday night.
Davis, the Lakers leader with 27.4 points and 12.1 rebounds, injured his right foot Friday night in the win over Denver and is expected to be sidelined for several weeks.
Thomas Bryant added 16 points and 10 rebounds to help the Lakers win for the third time in their last four games and give Washington its 10th straight loss and 13th in 14 games, the Associated Press reports.
“You have to follow suit and sometimes wait (your name) to be called,” Bryant said after making his third start with Davis on the sidelines. “It doesn’t change the fact that you have to be prepared and stay prepared and do whatever you can to make sure you’re in that position should something like this happen. I’m proud of the preparations I have.”
James looked like he lost the ball near the middlecourt, but regained control and found Bryant underneath to break the tie with 7.1 seconds left. Former Laker Kyle Kuzma missed a three-pointer for Washington with 2.1 seconds left in the game.
Bradley Bell scored 29 points on his return to the Wizards. Missed the past six games due to a hamstring injury, last seen on December 4 in a 130-119 loss at home to the Lakers,
Kuzma scored 22 points and Kristaps Porzingis added 21 for Washington. The Wizards last won on November 28 at home against Minnesota.
“It’s definitely frustrating,” said Wizards coach Wes Unseld Jr. after allowing the go-ahead basket on a broken play. “We were playing to get the ball out of[James’]hands and we missed it. We got a hand on the ball to release it, we didn’t get possession.”
The Wizards led 102-98 with 6:43 remaining after an alley dunk by Daniel Gafford. But an 8-0 Lakers score, capped off by James’ three points, gave Los Angeles a 106-102 lead with 5:09 remaining. The Lakers were not late again.
Austin Reeves hit a pair of floats as the Lakers went up 115-111 with 1:17 remaining. But the wizards tied them in cascading baskets from Gafford and Beal.
James put the Lakers ahead 117-115 when he took the ball down the court and split the pass unchallenged with 27.1 seconds remaining. Bell tied it again at 117 on a pair of free throws with 23.1 seconds left in the game.
Bell played 32 minutes on his return.
ZHB