Anthony Davis (35 PTS, 18 REB, 3 BLK) and LeBron James (25 PTS, 7 REB, 9 AST, 3 STL) balled out in the Lakers 125-120 win over the Wizards.

The Lakers are making steady progress in the standings, surging 11 games above .500 following a 125-120 victory against the Wizards. With Anthony Davis leading the charge, the favored Lakers secured the win, much to the delight of their loyal fans, who are thrilled to see the team maintain its push for a top-six position. One fan highlighted exactly how significant Davis being on the floor for the Lakers is.

Fans remarked that the Lakers appeared to be performing at their lowest level ever when Davis was not on the court. Fans were upset that AD never gets put in conversations of the very best players in the NBA.

Anthony Davis delivered an outstanding performance with 35 points, 18 rebounds, and 3 blocks, marking one of his finest displays of the season. LeBron James allowed his teammate to shoulder much of the workload but still contributed significantly with 25 points, seven rebounds, and nine assists. Each starter made valuable contributions, including Austin Reaves, who tallied an impressive 16 points, slightly behind D’Angelo Russell’s 18 points and Hachimura’s 19 points. Jordan Poole showcased his talent with a notable 29-point performance, emerging as the leading scorer for Washington. Kyle Kuzma and Corey Kispert both scored 17 points, tying as the second-highest scorers, while rookie center Tristan Vukcevic added 15 points to the scoreboard.

The Lakers have displayed impressive form, winning eight of their last nine games and boasting a record of 20-8 since the beginning of February. However, despite their strong performance, they find themselves sitting at the No. 9 seed in the Western Conference standings throughout this period. While they are gradually closing the gap with the teams at the top, with only five games remaining in the season, it appears unlikely that they will have enough time to secure a higher seed before the Play-In Tournament.

Currently, the Lakers hold a record of 44-33, trailing the No. 8 seed Phoenix Suns by just one game. With the Suns facing challenging matchups in their remaining regular-season games, the Lakers are hoping for them to drop enough games to allow the Lakers to move out of the 9-10 Play-In seeding. Securing the 7-8 seed only requires the Lakers to win one game, as opposed to two for direct playoff qualification.

The Western Conference has been fiercely competitive for several months, with numerous teams in the middle of the pack boasting solid records, intensifying the battle in the conference’s midsection. Despite falling out of this group in December, witnessing the Lakers’ resurgence has been remarkable.

Now, it’s a matter of finishing strong in the remaining handful of games this season to ensure that Los Angeles secures a playoff spot once again.