Lakers at Wizards
The Los Angeles Lakers are stringing some wins together behind Pau Gasol and Jordan Hill in the frontcourt and a strong set of shooters on the perimeter. The Washington Wizards, who host the Lakers on Tuesday, rely more on dribble penetration from point guard John Wall but have the bodies up front in Nene and Marcin Gortat to battle with Hill and Gasol. Wall had 31 points and Gortat grabbed 17 rebounds in a win over the New York Knicks on Saturday.
Los Angeles reached the .500 mark with its third straight victory, a 100-86 triumph over the Sacramento Kings on Sunday, and got double-doubles from Hill and Gasol while Xavier Henry took his turn stepping up off the bench. “We’re just sticking to out principles a lot,” coach Mike D’Antoni said. “I think they’re getting to the point where they’re not thinking about things and reacting and sticking to what we’re doing.” D’Antoni and the players all credit improved chemistry and comfort with the recent turnaround. The Lakers are still awaiting the return of Kobe Bryant, who signed a two-year, $48.5 million contract extension on Monday.
TV: 7 p.m. ET, NBATV, TWC SportsNet (Los Angeles), CSN Mid-Atlantic (Washington)
ABOUT THE LAKERS (7-7): Gasol was shooting 36 percent from the field while averaging 11.9 points in the first eight games but has slowly picked up the pace and is up to 18.2 points on 47.1 percent shooting in the last five. The veteran center is hoping the chemistry continues on the road trip. “We have to play together on the road,” Gasol said. “It’s going to be a little more difficult on the road, but we have three games in four nights so we have to start well and (set) the tone in Washington.” Los Angeles continues on to Brooklyn on Wednesday and Detroit on Friday.
ABOUT THE WIZARDS (5-8): Washington has won three of its last four thanks to a better effort on the defensive end, where it has surrendered an average of 94 points in the four contests. Wall put up 37 points in a 96-88 setback in Toronto on Friday, giving him back-to-back 30-point outings for the first time in his career when he totaled 31 on 10-of-18 shooting up on the Knicks. Coach Randy Wittman believes he found the right combination. “I’m really probably not going to do anything different,” he said about the upcoming stretch of games. “We just win three out of four…You want me to change what I’m doing?”
BUZZER BEATERS
1. The Wizards have taken two of the last three in the series, including a 103-100 triumph in Los Angeles on March 22 in which Wall collected 24 points and 16 assists.
2. Washington F Martell Webster is averaging 14.8 points and logging over 40 minutes of game time over the last five with Trevor Ariza (hamstring) out.
3. Los Angeles C Chris Kaman (back) sat out the last two games and is questionable for Tuesday.