Lakers vs Wizards 134-96: James' family duo stand out as LA secures big win

LeBron James led the Lakers to a 134-96 win over the Wizards, while Bronny scored a career-high 5 points in the 4th.

The Los Angeles Lakers secured their biggest win of the season, dismantling the Washington Wizards 134-96 on Thursday night at Capital One Arena.

LeBron James led the way with 24 points and 11 assists in just 26 minutes before sitting out the fourth quarter.

 

 

 

 

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Rui Hachimura, facing his former team, added 22 points on 9-of-12 shooting.

The Lakers controlled the game from the start, taking a 42-29 lead in the first quarter and stretching it to 78-45 by halftime.

The Wizards, missing Alex Sarr and Jonas Valančiūnas, struggled offensively, shooting just 31.9% from the field.

Jordan Poole led Washington with 19 points but shot 5-of-15, while Kyle Kuzma managed 13 points on 3-of-14 shooting.

Despite the absence of Anthony Davis due to an abdominal strain, the Lakers dominated the paint. Los Angeles' bench played a key role, contributing 54 points.

Shake Milton was a standout with 21 points on 7-of-8 shooting, while Dalton Knecht added 10 points before being ejected late in the game.

Bronny James steals the spotlight

Even with the game decided, the crowd erupted when rookie Bronny James checked in for the fourth quarter.

Fans chanted his name, and he responded by scoring a career-high five points, including a driving layup while drawing a foul on Tristan Vukcevic.

“He did a lot of really good things tonight,” Lakers head coach JJ Redick said. “Defensively he was great. It’s building blocks for every young player, and I think tonight was a good, positive building block for him.”

James also recorded two rebounds, two assists, and a steal while delivering a highlight-reel alley-oop to Christian Koloko. In the final seconds, he knocked down a pair of free throws as the Washington crowd gave him “MVP” chants.

 

 

 

 

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“He’s had eyeballs on him his whole life. He’s used to it,” Redick added. “He has handled everything with dignity, grace, class, all that stuff. He’ll continue to grow.”

Lakers surge, Wizards slide

With the victory, the Lakers improved to 27-19, sitting fifth in the Western Conference after winning five of their last six games. Lakers will travel to Knicks on Sunday.

Meanwhile, Washington’s 16-game losing streak ties a franchise record, leaving them at 6-41—the worst record in the league.