The LA Lakers continued their late-season surge on Wednesday, overpowering the Washington Wizards 125-120 on the second night of a road back-to-back. Their victory helped them creep closer to avoiding the play-in tournament.
After falling behind by 11 points in the first quarter, the Lakers took their play to another level, closing the period on a 31-10 run. They took a 10-point advantage heading into the second quarter, extending their edge to as high as 17 points late in the third.
Washington rallied in the final frame, coming within two points (107-105) with 7:13 remaining. However, LA responded with a 12-0 run before holding on for a five-point victory.
The Lakers were led by superstar big man Anthony Davis, who dominated the Wizards' undermanned frontcourt. The nine-time All-Star finished with a game-high 35 points, 18 rebounds, two steals and three blocks on 58.8% shooting.
His co-star LeBron James added 25 points, seven rebounds, nine assists and three steals on 50.0% shooting. Meanwhile, all five of LA's starters scored 16-plus points.
Washington also had a well-balanced offensive attack, with five players tallying 13-plus points, led by shooting guard Jordan Poole's 29-point performance. However, the Wizards didn't have the defensive personnel to stop the Lakers down the stretch.
LA's victory marked its third straight and eighth in its last nine games, heightening its chances of finishing in the Western Conference's top six. However, the Lakers will likely need a near-perfect finish to the season to do so.
On that note, here’s a snapshot of where LA stands in the West playoff picture with five games remaining.
LA Lakers Playoff Picture: Standings
Following Wednesday's win over Washington, the Lakers (44-33) remain ninth in the West. They trail the seventh and eighth-seeded Sacramento Kings (44-31) and Phoenix Suns (44-31) by just 1.0 game. However, the Suns are taking on the Cleveland Cavaliers later Wednesday night, so their record will soon change.
Additionally, LA is only 1.5 games behind the sixth-seeded New Orleans Pelicans (45-31) and 2.0 games behind the fifth-seeded Dallas Mavericks (45-30). So, a strong finish to the season could propel it as high as fifth.
The Lakers could also still drop to 10th, as they only have a 2.0-game advantage over the 10th-placed Golden State Warriors (41-34). However, they are no longer in danger of falling any further.
LA Lakers Playoff Picture: Schedule
As for the Lakers' rest-of-season outlook, they have the NBA’s sixth-toughest remaining strength of schedule, with an average opponent winning percentage of .557.
Four of LA's last five games come against above-.500 teams, including a potentially pivotal matchup against New Orleans on April 14.
So, the Lakers will likely need to knock off a couple of high-level opponents to avoid the play-in.
LA Lakers Playoff Picture: X-factor
Lakers forward Rui Hachimura once again came up big on Wednesday, tallying 19 points and seven rebounds on 75.0% shooting. His presence in the starting five continues to reap benefits for LA. It has gone 23-11 with him as a starter, including a 19-8 record since he became a full-time starter on Feb. 3.
Since then, the Lakers rank second in offensive rating (118.6), as their entire starting lineup can go off on any given night. Meanwhile, during their recent 8-1 stretch, they rank fifth in defensive rating (108.3).
So, LA appears to be firing on all cylinders with the postseason fast approaching.
