The Lakers stole the show in Washington, D.C. on Friday night as their fans made their presence felt during a dominant 142–111 win over the Wizards.
A first-half triple-double by Luka Doncic set the tone for Los Angeles, who cruised their way to their 29th win of the season as they prepare for a massive clash against the New York Knicks on Sunday at the World’s Most Famous Arena.
Doncic finished the night leading all scorers with 37 points, 11 rebounds, and 13 assists, while DeAndre Ayton played the role the Lakers need from him, recording a season-high 28 points and 13 rebounds.
LeBron James was also in the spotlight, as many labeled this game “his last visit to Capital One Arena.” Although he started slow — getting a shot blocked by Kyshawn George and missing a left-handed layup — he quickly made up for it, knocking down a three-pointer for his first basket of the night.
James had several moments that got the crowd on its feet, throwing down three dunks across the second and third quarters, including a reverse slam. He finished with 20 points, three rebounds, and six assists in just 30 minutes of action.
JJ Redick on Luka's impact
“I thought the way Luka started the game was the perfect type of aggression,” said Lakers head coach JJ Redick on Doncic securing a triple-double by halftime while leading the Lakers to a 23-point advantage.
“We played 45 minutes of great basketball. Very unselfish, more like team basketball,” Redick added. “It’s remarkable that it’s only the second time this has happened in his career. He came out again with the right mentality, the right mindset — it’s fantastic.”
Luka became the second player to record a triple-double by halftime since 1997-1998. The other player?....himself in 2023 against the Utah Jazz.
''I just played my game. Whatever the defense gives me its what im going to take.'' Luka added after the game.