History favors the Wizards against LeBron James and the Lakers in the District
By Arrick Joel
After Tuesday night's 117-113 victory over the Milwaukee Bucks at the Capital One Arena, the Washington Wizards are in great spirits. However, a quick turnaround in the schedule has the team set to face off against the Los Angeles Lakers in the second half of back-to-back games on Wednesday.
The Wizards played their best basketball of the season against Milwaukee, downing a team that many believe has a legitimate shot at the NBA title this season. The Bucks sit a whopping 32 and a half games ahead of the Wizards in the standings and with Kyle Kuzma absent from Tuesday's game due to a bruised heel, it seemed as if Washington stood no chance.
The Wizards enter Wednesday in a similar position. Should the two Lakers stars be upgraded from their questionable injury designations, the Wizards will be responsible for defending LeBron James and Anthony Davis. Both named to the All-Star team, the Lakers' superstar tandem combines for 50 points per game, led by James, who is shooting a career-high 41.7 percent from beyond the arc this season.
What can the Washington Wizards do to stop LeBron James?
Against the Bucks on Tuesday night, Wizards interim coach Brian Keefe inserted Anthony Gill into the starting lineup for the first time this season, tasking the veteran forward with defensive responsibilities against two-time MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo.
Although Antetokounmpo is the kind of player who is next to impossible to stop, Gill was successful in contesting the 6'11" powerhouse scorer without fouling. The Wizards kept Giannis below his season-long average of 10.9 free throw attempts per game, which greatly aided their winning efforts.
The Athletic's Josh Robbins reported that Kyle Kuzma was absent from the Wizards' injury report ahead of the clash with the Lakers, meaning the team will likely see their leading scorer return to action against LeBron and company. During Washington's trip out West in February, Kuzma put together a 20-point double-double against the Lakers, knocking down four of his eight three-point attempts.
With the return of Kuzma and the understanding of what made the team successful against the Bucks' superstar on Tuesday, the Wizards have a feasible route to victory against Los Angeles.