LeBron James Leads Lakers Past Wizards. Can They Keep Winning Without an injured Anthony Davis?

The Lakers won Friday against Denver with Anthony Davis on the sidelines for most of the game. Sunday, news broke that Davis is expected to miss about a month because of a foot injury (no official confirmation from the team, yet, but an announcement of some sort is expected Monday). Sunday night, the Lakers beat a struggling Wizards team at the Crypt, 119-117. Without question, they caught some breaks, and benefitted from the general terribleness of their opponent. That said, the Lakers also did a lot of things right. For starters, LeBron James (33/7/9, no turnovers) was excellent. But the team also got contributions from Thomas Bryant (16/10, including two 3-pointers), Lonnie Walker (21 points), and Dennis Schroder (12/7). Max Christie played 24 minutes, and hit a pair of 3's while guarding both Bradley Beal and Kyle Kuzma (not at the same time) down the stretch. The Lakers pushed pace, hit some threes, and didn't turn the ball over. That's the formula they need to try and repeat going forward without Davis on the floor. Maybe not Monday in Phoenix, though, since the Lakers might have to rest some folks. LeBron for general rest, Walker and Austin Reaves for potential ankle injuries. Gotta win games, but gotta keep people healthy, too. Big picture, there is much to discuss regarding Davis and his injury. What does it mean for the Lakers going forward? Should a trade become more or less likely? How do they build around him going forward? But one thing should be obvious, and the baseline for any conversation: Anthony Davis can't be counted on to play more than 50-60 games in any season. That's not an indictment of Davis's character. It's just reality. HOSTS: Andy and Brian Kamenetzky SEGMENT 1: The Lakers, led by LeBron, beat Washington, holding on in a crazy finish. SEGMENT 2: Thomas Bryant and Max Christie were big, and the Lakers did stuff they'll need to keep doing with Davis off the floor. SEGMENT 3: Anthony Davis is injury prone. It's not a character flaw, but it is reality the Lakers need to account for. Support Us By Supporting Our Sponsors! Built Bar Built Bar is a protein bar that tastes like a candy bar. Go to builtbar.com and use promo code “LOCKEDON15,” and you’ll get 15% off your next order. BetOnline BetOnline.net has you covered this season with more props, odds and lines than ever before. BetOnline – Where The Game Starts! LinkedIn LinkedIn Jobs helps you find the qualified candidates you want to talk to, faster. Post your job for free at LinkedIn.com/LOCKEDONNBA PrizePicks First time users can receive a 100% instant deposit match up to $100 with promo code LOCKEDON. That’s PrizePicks.com – promo code; LOCKEDON NHTSA Drive high, get a DUI. Click HERE to learn more. BetterHelp This episode is brought to you by BetterHelp. As the world’s largest therapy service, BetterHelp has matched 3 million people with professionally licensed and vetted therapists available 100% online. Learn more and save 10% off your first month at BetterHelp.com/LOCKEDONNBA Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices