How have the Wizards fared against LeBron James in the past?
Although LeBron has the upper hand against the Wizards all-time, especially in the playoffs, Washington has seemed to have found some success in recent history against The King.
Since signing a four-year max contract with the Lakers in the summer of 2018, LeBron has faced the Wizards a total of nine times. In those contests, the Lakers have a 5-1 record at the Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles. Adversely, the Wizards hold a 2-1 series advantage when the game takes place on the East Coast.
At the Capital One Arena as a member of the Lakers, LeBron has shot 46.5 percent from the field and 31.6 percent from beyond the arc, both well-below his career averages against Washington. The Lakers' 2018 visit to the District, LeBron's first look at the Wizards as a Laker, featured James' lowest-scoring game of the season, notching just 13 points in an 18-point victory for the home team.
This season, the Lakers have attempted the third-most free throws of any team in the NBA, just seven attempts shy of the league lead. Much like guarding Giannis on Tuesday, it will be of utmost importance for the Wizards to defend without fouling against Los Angeles.
If the Wizards continue to receive production from their scorers and can manage to keep the Lakers' trips to the charity stripe to a minimum, Washington will have a real shot at knocking off a star-studded opponent on Wednesday.