The Lakers moved to 2-0 on their road trip and won their third consecutive game overall, cruising past the Wizards 130-119 to bring their record to 10-12 on the season.
At this point we're running out of superlatives to describe how great Anthony Davis is playing as he continues his run of absolutely extraordinary play. Washington had no answers for AD as he poured in 55 points and 17 rebounds, knocking down 22 of his 30 shots (2-3 from behind the arc) and all eight of his free throw attempts.
With this performance, Davis scored 40 points in back-to-back games for the first time since 2018 (as a member of the Pelicans) and is the first Laker to accomplish the feat since Kobe did so in March of 2013. He also became the first Lakers player to record back-to-back games with 40+ points, 10+ rebounds, and 3+ blocks since blocks became an official stat in the 1973-74 season.
Davis seemed limitless offensively, draining long jumpers, flicking in runners and hooks, and slamming home dunks over the top of the Wizards' defense. Whether with force or finesse, elite craft or straight forward functionality, he showed off all facets of his skill set and carried the Lakers to the win.
Along with AD's strong night, Lonnie Walker also played a pivotal role in this one, scoring 20 points on 7-10 shooting, including knocking down all four of his attempts from behind the arc. Lonnie's hot shooting was critical in helping the Lakers build up and stretch out their lead throughout the game, and his high-flying finishes at the basket served as punctuations to the Lakers runs while lifting their spirits at the same time.
Along with Lonnie and AD, LeBron and Russell Westbrook also had themselves strong games, though in different facets.
LeBron was great scoring the ball, pouring in 29 points on strong drives and finishes at the basket. He also added eight rebounds and six assists, in another all-around effort. Russ, meanwhile, dished out a game high 15 assists to go along with six points and seven rebounds. Both players were critical in ensuring the Lakers kept the pressure on the Wizards defense, putting them in position to try to keep up -- something they simply couldn't do for most of the night.
On the other end, the Wizards -- who lost Bradley Beal to injury in the 1st quarter -- were led by Kristaps Porzingis (27 points) and Kyle Kuzma (26 points) who both scored the ball well, but mostly in the 2nd half when the Lakers had already built up a sizable lead. Both played with desperation in the 4th quarter by getting to their spots to knock down shots, but also struggled from beyond the arc, shooting a combined 2-13 from deep, which impacted Washington's overall success from behind the arc where they went 10-39 as a team.
After the game LeBron noted that coming off the high of a game like the win over the Bucks can make the next game difficult, particularly when in the midst of a road trip. The team responded to that challenge, however, dominating the game through three quarters and seizing control back after the Wizards made their last gasp run through the first half of the 4th quarter.
The Lakers will have the opportunity to build on this game and take that same focus into Cleveland when the Lakers visit the Cavaliers on Tuesday.