WASHINGTON, D.C.—The Los Angeles Lakers lost for the eighth time in 10 games, falling 108-116 to the Washington Wizards on Thursday, February 2.
Jordan Clarkson scored a team-high 20 points for the Lakers while coming off the bench. Luol Deng had 17 points and six rebounds while Lou Williams added 15 points off the bench. D’Angelo Russell contributed 17 points, 11 assists and seven rebounds. Tarik Black had a double-double with 13 points and 11 rebounds.
Lakers forward Julius Randle played just six minutes as he recovers from illness.
Wizards All-Star John Wall scored a game-high 33 points and had 11 assists for the Wizards, who have won 16 consecutive home games. Bradley Beal had 23 points and four assists. Marcin Gortat added 21 points and 14 rebounds while Markieff Morris had a double-double as well with 12 points and 11 rebounds.
The Lakers were outscored 27-15 in the second quarter, and trailed by 14 points at halftime.
“The second quarter was terrible,” Lakers head coach Luke Walton said. “We actually came out and played a little better than I thought we would. It’s tough when you fly across the country like that and you kind of expect some early sloppiness and then you expect guys to clean it up.”
“I think it took a little too long to clean it up, but I was proud the way we came back in the second half,” Walton said.
The Wizards have won six straight games, moving to 29-10 on the season and fourth place in the Eastern Conference. Washington will play the New Orleans Pelicans next on Friday, January 3.
Los Angeles is now 17-25 overall and 14th in the Western Conference. The Lakers will continue a five-game Grammy road-trip with a matchup against the Boston Celtics on Friday, January 3.
