Beal and Westbrook lead Wizards past Lakers without LeBron 116-107
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Washington Wizards goaltender Bradley Beal (3) dribbles the ball during the team’s NBA basketball game against the Los Angeles Lakers on Wednesday, April 28, 2021, in Washington. (AP Photo / Nick Wass)
AP
WASHINGTON
Still absent from LeBron James, the Los Angeles Lakers lost for the fourth time in their last five games on Wednesday night, beaten 116-107 by the Washington Wizards, who earned 27 points from league leader Bradley Beal and the Russell Westbrook’s 13th triple-double in April.
Washington won nine of 10 games, led by their dynamic duo of Beal and Westbrook, who finished with 18 points, 18 rebounds and 14 assists. This extends his NBA record for most triple doubles in a month and gives him 30 for the season and 176 for his career, just five from Oscar Robertson’s career.
The Wizards were leading 69-67 early in the second half when they used a 16-2 run to break things up and take an 85-69 advantage with about 2 1/2 minutes left in the third quarter.
Then in the fourth, the hosts continued to pour it, and a quick dunk from Ish Smith on a pass from – who else? –Westbrook went 98-79 with under 9½ minutes remaining and brought most of the Wizards’ players onto the field to celebrate the timeout that followed.
James was sidelined for more than a month with a sprained right ankle, a 20-game absence in which the Lakers are 8-12 and fell to fifth in the standings. the Western Conference. He sat by the LA subs, a mask covering his nose and mouth.
The good news for the visitors: Anthony Davis scored 26-14 in the fourth quarter – his highest performance in four games since sitting for 30 years with a strained right calf.
He also ended up on his back on the baseline and checked his nose for blood after taking a hand in the face on Rui Hachimura’s quick dunk on the 2012 No.1 pick in the NBA Draft.
Andre Drummond had 17 points and 11 rebounds for Los Angeles.
Hachimura scored 12 and Alex Len contributed 18 points and nine rebounds for Washington, who entered the day with a 27-34 record, good enough for a one-game lead over the Chicago Bulls for 10th place in the ‘Is and the play-in place that comes with this place. The Wizards still have 10 regular season games.
NO LBJ UPDATE
Lakers coach Frank Vogel declined to give an update on James’ status, avoiding questions about his use upon his return and whether it could be before the end of the regular season.
âHe and the medical team will tell me when he’s ready,â Vogel said. “When he’s ready to play, he’ll play.”
The quadruple NBA MVP’s averages lead Los Angeles in scoring (25.4), assists (7.9) and minutes (33.9) this season.
“He is still absent indefinitely,” Vogel said. âThat’s all I have for you.
TIP-INS
Lakers: G Alex Caruso (back spasms) didn’t play, which Vogel predicted ahead of the game would be a problem as Caruso’s talent on the defensive end would have come in handy against Beal and Westbrook. … Started just 1 in 11 on 3-point attempts; finished 10 of 34.
Wizards: C Robin Lopez returned after missing a game for the first time this season with a sprained left ankle. Lopez had eight points. … Dominated LA 62-54 in paint.
FOLLOWING
Lakers: Open up a family of three by hosting the Sacramento Kings on Friday night.
Wizards: Play seven of their next eight road games, starting in Cleveland on Friday night. After starting the season 9-17 in away games, Washington has won three in a row.
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