Luka Doncic recorded 37 points, 13 assists, and 11 rebounds to lead the Los Angeles Lakers to a 142-111 victory over the Washington Wizards on Friday night at Capital One Arena. The win moves the Lakers to 29-18, while Washington falls to 12-35.
Doncic had already posted 26 points, 11 assists, and 10 rebounds by halftime, marking the first first-half triple-double in the NBA since Jalen Johnson on December 5. His dominant performance helped Los Angeles build a 77-48 halftime lead.
Deandre Ayton added 28 points and 13 rebounds, going 12-of-14 from the field, while LeBron James contributed 20 points and threw a one-handed alley-oop in the first half at age 41. The Lakers shot 61% overall and controlled the game inside and outside the paint.
Fans were treated to Bronny James making his fourth-quarter debut, finishing with a one-handed breakaway dunk. Marcus Smart and Jake LaRavia also contributed to maintaining the Lakers’ offensive tempo, keeping Washington from mounting any comeback.
Malaki Branham led the Wizards with 17 points, but the team struggled from three-point range, hitting only 16-of-48 attempts. Washington, trying for its first three-game winning streak of the season, was playing on the second night of a back-to-back.
Los Angeles extended its lead to as much as 38 points in the third quarter, easing through the final period. Doncic finished with six three-pointers and five turnovers but remained in control of the offense throughout.
Washington’s Alex Sarr and Bub Carrington scored 16 and 15 points, respectively, but the Wizards could not match the Lakers’ scoring efficiency. The visitors shot just 44% from the field and committed key turnovers in the second half.
The Lakers will travel to New York on Sunday, while Washington returns home to face Sacramento. Los Angeles remains fifth in the Western Conference, keeping pace in the playoff race.
