Field Level Media
Mar 27, 2019
Kentavious Caldwell-Pope shot 6-for-12 from 3-point distance and scored 29 points to help the Los Angeles Lakers defeat the visiting Washington Wizards 124-106 on Tuesday night. The Lakers won two in a row for the first time since mid-January.
LeBron James had 23 points and 14 assists; JaVale McGee had 20 points, 15 rebounds and four blocks; and Kyle Kuzma scored 15 for the Lakers.
Bradley Beal scored 32 points for the Wizards, who lost their fifth straight game to match their longest streak of the season. The only other players in double figures were reserves Jabari Parker with 18 points and Bobby Portis with 10. Tomas Satoransky contributed 11 assists for Washington.
The Lakers extended their lead to as many as 19 points on three occasions in the third quarter before Beal sank back-to-back 3-pointers to get the Wizards back within 83-70 with 7:14 left in the quarter.
Beal scored 17 straight points for the Wizards in the third quarter, but they were unable to get any closer than nine and trailed 97-83 entering the fourth. Washington never got any closer than eight points in the final quarter.
The Wizards led for most of the first six minutes before the Lakers scored six straight points to take a 19-17 lead with 4:29 left in the first quarter.
Los Angeles never trailed again.
Los Angeles guard Lance Stephenson excited his teammates and brought the crowd to its feet when he made a crossover dribble against Jeff Green, causing the Washington guard to lose his balance and fall. Stephenson then finished the play by making a 20-foot step-back jumper with 5.6 seconds left in the first.
After the Lakers took that 34-29 advantage into the second quarter, the Wizards managed to keep the deficit at single digits until a 7-0 run moved Los Angeles ahead 57-46 with 4:32 left in the first half.
The Lakers maintained an 11-point lead at the break.
Wizards starting forward Trevor Ariza returned after leaving midway through an overtime loss Wednesday against the Bulls with a strained left groin, but he aggravated the injury after playing seven minutes and did not return.
--Field Level Media