Wizards at Lakers
The Los Angeles Lakers were officially eliminated from playoff contention last week and the Washington Wizards, who visit the Lakers on Tuesday, are about to follow suit. The Wizards have lost four in a row, including a 113-108 setback against Miami at home Saturday night, pushing them 6 1/2 games behind the eighth-place Heat in the Eastern Conference with eight games to play.
"They pretty much beat us," star guard Bradley Beal told reporters following the loss. "They beat us in every way possible – off the dribble, three balls, offensive rebounds, everything that we said that they were going to beat us in, they pretty much did." Similar frustration has been felt in Los Angeles, where the Lakers' season has crumbled amid injuries and poor play, but the team did snap a five-game losing streak with a 111-106 win over the Sacramento Kings on Sunday. LeBron James notched his eighth triple-double with 29 points, 11 rebounds and 11 assists as Los Angeles also ended a five-game slide at home. The club is one loss away from clinching a sixth straight losing season.
TV: 10:30 p.m. ET, TNT
ABOUT THE WIZARDS (30-44): Coach Scott Brooks moved Bobby Portis back to power forward and started Thomas Bryant at center in Saturday's loss, and they excelled together in the new-look lineup with a pair of double-doubles. "I know he likes to shoot the ball a little bit more," Bryant told reporters of Portis. "I try to do my quickness down there in the post. You know, just trying to get rolls and it seems like it opens up a lot more for us. Whether he's rolling or I'm rolling, we've seen a way to get open." Beal was held to 16 points in Saturday's loss and is 6-for-27 from 3-point range during the losing streak.
ABOUT THE LAKERS (32-41): Despite missing out on the postseason for the first time in 14 years, James insists he is not going to mail it in over the final nine games. "I would never cheat myself," he told Spectrum SportsNet postgame Sunday. "I know we're out the playoff race, but if I'm on the court, I'm going to play how I play, and I play to win. So, I will never cheat the game." Forward Kyle Kuzma also came to play Sunday and finished with 29 points -- his best total since Feb. 10.
BUZZER BEATERS
1. Washington has won eight of the last 10 meetings, including a 128-110 victory at home on Dec. 16, when it held James to a season-low 13 points.
2. Wizards SF Jeff Green scored 25 points on 9-of-12 shooting against the Heat after averaging 6.7 on 30.4 percent from the field over his previous three contests.
3. Lakers C JaVale McGee is averaging 25 points, 17 rebounds and 5.5 blocked shots over his last two games.