Lakers

The Clippers beat the Lakers 133-115 on Tuesday, pushing a little closer toward realizing the top-end potential that has been eluding them for so long.

Jackson had two turnovers but five assists, and the Clippers outscored the Lakers by 11 in his minutes. The abrupt role change “was weighing on him a little bit,” said George, one of Jackson’s close friends. Injuries have limited their time as a group, but on Tuesday, the Powell-Leonard-George trio outscored the Lakers by 10 in nearly 11 minutes together. But when the Clippers retained the ball, George threw a crisp, cross-court pass to assist Jackson on a three-pointer. “We got a long ways to go,” Lue said, citing the development of George as the point guard and figuring out what to run when teams apply pressure, “but defensively, offensively, scoring 133 points, scoring the basketball, PG in a rhythm, Kawhi in a rhythm and that’s kind of like what you envision coming into the season. The stretch wasn’t without moments that could have allowed the Lakers back in the game. Leonard had 25 points and Powell added 22 off the bench. [in Dallas](https://www.latimes.com/sports/clippers/story/2023-01-22/kawhi-leonard-paul-george-clippers-mavericks-recap) and tonight, I thought we’ve shown, I think we’ve taken that step of going up late regardless of how the game goes,” George said after scoring 27 points with nine rebounds, making three of five shots in the fourth quarter. The lead was 13. During a timeout they switched into a “drop” coverage of James’ on pick-and-rolls in order to keep Leonard guarding him instead of switching defenders, Lue said. But with 6 minutes 46 seconds remaining in the fourth quarter, they gathered in a huddle inside a howling Crypto.com Arena. The Clippers had played perhaps their best first half of the season.

What kind of player have the Lakers acquired? Lakers writer Jovan Buha and Wizards writer Josh Robbins discuss Hachimura's skills.

Also, while he probably has the athleticism to guard many wings in short doses, I think he’s better off defending players who aren’t quite as quick. He should slot in nicely as one of the team’s top seven or eight players. It’s no secret that the Lakers have been seeking an upgrade in the frontcourt, and he appears to check a lot of the boxes. When he’s dialed in, he can play with that level of physicality, and it impacts the game.” As long as he’s an upgrade over those three players, which he should be, I think this deal was worthwhile for the Lakers — at least in the short term. Despite the decline in accuracy, he has become adept at faking a shot beyond the arc, putting the ball on the deck and either pulling up for a midrange jumper (his specialty) or driving to the hoop. I could see Hachimura being more involved in the offense with the second-unit lineups led by James and Westbrook — lineups that want to play fast and get downhill. Moving Hachimura will make it easier for Washington to keep Kuzma this offseason and remain under the luxury tax. He has the potential to be a bona fide floor-spacer. Someone glancing at Hachimura’s stats for the first time may not be overwhelmed by his 13.0 points per game this season, but it’s important to note that he averaged only 23.4 minutes per game in Washington. I think it’s safe to say that Lakers fans are excited about Hachimura’s arrival based on conversations I’ve had and the reaction on social media. Hachimura is making his debut on Wednesday against the Spurs, according to Lakers head coach Darvin Ham.

Pelinka has consistently claimed that he is willing to trade picks for the right deal.

Nothing the Lakers do matters if James isn't one of the best players in the world. If he is waiting for a superstar to become available that makes the Lakers obvious champions, then he's not going to make a move because no such move is going to present itself. [Russell Westbrook](/nba/players/1622555/russell-westbrook/) and [Patrick Beverley](/nba/players/1685200/patrick-beverley/) alone, the Lakers have $60 million in expiring salaries to use in trades right now. But if he is operating under the logic that a healthy James and Davis already get the Lakers relatively close, trading those picks for two or three high-end role players might be enough to get the Lakers into the inner circle. The Lakers have a flawed roster that probably needs more than a single move or trade deadline to be fixed. There likely isn't a deal that makes the Lakers championship frontrunners merely because no team that is below .500 more than halfway through the season is ever realistically going to be considered a championship frontrunner.

Davis was playing arguably the best basketball of his career before he got hurt. He is averaging 27.4 points and 12.1 rebounds per game for the Lakers, but more ...

Davis carried the Lakers when James was out, but since Davis went down, LeBron has returned the favor. He is averaging 27.4 points and 12.1 rebounds per game for the Lakers, but more importantly, he managed to drag them out of the bottom the standings after they started the season 2-10. [Los Angeles Lakers](https://www.cbssports.com/nba/teams/LAL/los-angeles-lakers/) star [Anthony Davis](/nba/players/1992786/anthony-davis/) will return to the lineup Wednesday against the [San Antonio Spurs](https://www.cbssports.com/nba/teams/SA/san-antonio-spurs/) barring any setbacks in his pre-game warmups, [according to ESPN's Dave McMenamin](https://twitter.com/mcten/status/1618122256626102273?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Etweet).

This game also will see the debut in Lakers' colors of Hachimura. He was a solid rotation player off the bench for the Wizards, but he brings a size and skill ...

Charlotte is all in on the Wembanyama sweepstakes and they will be sellers at the trade deadline with [Terry Rozier](https://www.nbcsportsedge.com/basketball/nba/player/30172/terry-rozier), [Gordon Hayward](https://www.nbcsportsedge.com/basketball/nba/player/29582/gordon-hayward) and [Kelly Oubre Jr.](https://www.nbcsportsedge.com/basketball/nba/player/30171/kelly-oubre-jr) all available. It is a great story of perseverance to see [Jonathan Isaac](https://www.nbcsportsedge.com/basketball/nba/player/30432/jonathan-isaac) back on the court for Orlando. Anthony Davis returns after missing 20 games with a stress reaction in his foot — the Lakers went 10-10 thanks to the heroics of [LeBron James](https://www.nbcsportsedge.com/basketball/nba/player/28859/lebron-james) — and the Lakers will add the just-acquired [Rui Hachimura](https://www.nbcsportsedge.com/basketball/nba/player/50971/rui-hachimura) to the rotation. [Zach LaVine](https://www.nbcsportsedge.com/basketball/nba/player/30050/zach-lavine) is not going to make the cut as an All-Star in the East this season, but DeMar DeRozan is going to be on the bugle as the coaches pick the reserves — he’s got the numbers but it’s a crowded field and the Bulls have struggled. [Shai Gilgeous-Alexander](https://www.nbcsportsedge.com/basketball/nba/player/30582/shai-gilgeous-alexander) is leading the way and should be a lock All-Star — if it wasn’t for Doncic and [Stephen Curry](https://www.nbcsportsedge.com/basketball/nba/player/29477/stephen-curry), he should be starting the game in Salt Lake City. Leading the way for that offense is [Anthony Edwards](https://www.nbcsportsedge.com/basketball/nba/player/58299/anthony-edwards), who has been on a hot streak and can still throw it down with the best of them. No team may be more active at the trade deadline than the Clippers, who are looking high and low — and right at [Mike Conley](https://www.nbcsportsedge.com/basketball/nba/player/29279/mike-conley) in Utah — for help at the point guard spot (but they won’t give up [Terance Mann](https://www.nbcsportsedge.com/basketball/nba/player/51483/terance-mann) to do it). All of that comes without [Karl-Anthony Towns](https://www.nbcsportsedge.com/basketball/nba/player/30157/karl-anthony-towns), but it’s something for the team to build on. Injuries caught up with Boston on Tuesday night: No [Jaylen Brown](https://www.nbcsportsedge.com/basketball/nba/player/30298/jaylen-brown), [Marcus Smart](https://www.nbcsportsedge.com/basketball/nba/player/30043/marcus-smart), [Malcolm Brogdon](https://www.nbcsportsedge.com/basketball/nba/player/30331/malcolm-brogdon) or [Al Horford](https://www.nbcsportsedge.com/basketball/nba/player/29278/al-horford) — and [Jayson Tatum](https://www.nbcsportsedge.com/basketball/nba/player/30429/jayson-tatum) is playing through a sore wrist (all that against a good Heat team used to playing without [Jimmy Butler](https://www.nbcsportsedge.com/basketball/nba/player/29711/jimmy-butler)). First, should Sabonis start over [Zion Williamson](https://www.nbcsportsedge.com/basketball/nba/player/50955/zion-williamson) or [Anthony Davis](https://www.nbcsportsedge.com/basketball/nba/player/29801/anthony-davis) (it looks like it will be those three for the final starting frontcourt spot in the West)? Tough road trip the Nuggets are on, they have the Bucks on the second night of a back-to-back Wednesday then travel to face [Joel Embiid](https://www.nbcsportsedge.com/basketball/nba/player/30040/joel-embiid) and the 76ers. It helps that [Jamal Murray](https://www.nbcsportsedge.com/basketball/nba/player/30302/jamal-murray) and [Michael Porter Jr.](https://www.nbcsportsedge.com/basketball/nba/player/30585/michael-porter-jr) have started to look more and more comfortable in recent weeks, not just healthy but more like their old selves.

The Athletic brings the NBA Los Angeles duo of Jovan Buha (Lakers beat writer) and Law Murray (Clippers beat writer) to the roundtable.

That said, they’re about to head out on a difficult five-game Eastern road trip facing [Boston](https://theathletic.com/nba/team/celtics/), New York, [Brooklyn](https://theathletic.com/nba/team/nets/), [Indiana](https://theathletic.com/nba/team/pacers/) and New Orleans. It’s a Clippers home game, and it will be the only game the Clippers play in a six-day span. And after a 7-0 second run put the Clippers up 51-36 with 8:32 left in the first half to force another Ham timeout, the Clippers maintained a double-digit lead for the rest of the game. The final week of the season is bizarre for the Clippers. [John Wall](https://theathletic.com/nba/player/john-wall-Hi3iaXUQCSafuGlJ/) injured his abdomen a week after [Luke Kennard](https://theathletic.com/nba/player/luke-kennard-Ic0bLwnrLLz3FExH/) injured his calf. The defense fell off in a major way for the Clippers. [Troy Brown Jr.](https://theathletic.com/nba/player/troy-brown-jr-VYZHoNMwJDDOVeZ0/) and [Thomas Bryant](https://theathletic.com/nba/player/thomas-bryant-dq4B2s0HiwRTR3cB/) was sporting a net rating of 23.4 overall in the 89 minutes that quintet was on the floor this season. But a Russell Westbrook turnover on an inbounds pass ignited an 8-0 run for the Clippers – and an animated bench argument between Westbrook and Schröder – that extended the Clippers’ lead to 18 and sealed the game. The Clippers’ 19 to 16 advantage on 3-pointers made belies their advantage over the Lakers for most of the evening. The Lakers had won four straight first quarters, and their starting lineup that featured James, Schröder, Patrick Beverley, The Lakers made things interesting in the fourth, with James going supernova to trim the deficit to 10 points with 6:46 remaining. Tonight, the Clippers made more midrange field goals (7-of-12) than the Lakers attempted (1-of-6).

SportsLine's model just revealed its NBA picks for San Antonio Spurs vs. Los Angeles Lakers.

[Visit SportsLine to see which side of the Spurs vs. The model has simulated Spurs vs. Lakers 10,000 times and the results are in. You can head to SportsLine to [see its picks.](https://www.sportsline.com/insiders/lakers-vs-spurs-odds-line-spread-proven-model-reveals-nba-picks-predictions-for-jan-25-2023/#ttag=01252023_agg_cbssports_picks_basketball_nba_model_SpursLakersNBAauto) Here are several [NBA betting lines](https://www.sportsline.com/nba/odds) for Lakers vs. The Spurs poured in 126 points against the Clippers last Friday before scoring 127 points at Portland on Monday. The Lakers have been undervalued of late, covering the spread at a 9-3-1 clip in their last 13 games. San Antonio has been among the worst teams in the NBA this season, and it has lost seven of its last eight games coming into this contest. Spurs](https://www.sportsline.com/nba/game-forecast/NBA_20230125_SA@LAL/). Los Angeles is favored by 7 points in the latest Lakers vs. Spurs odds from Caesars Sportsbook, while the over/under is set at 243. [Los Angeles Lakers](https://www.cbssports.com/nba/teams/LAL/los-angeles-lakers/) will play the second leg of a back-to-back when they face the [San Antonio Spurs](https://www.cbssports.com/nba/teams/SA/san-antonio-spurs/) on Wednesday night. Los Angeles had won two straight games before getting crushed by the [Clippers](https://www.cbssports.com/nba/teams/LAC/los-angeles-clippers/) in a 133-115 final on Tuesday.

Keldon Johnson had 20 points and four rebounds to lead the team while Jeremy Sochan added 18 points. Jakob Poeltl finished with 14 points and seven rebounds ...

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Rob Pelinka says the Lakers' goal remains winning a championship and he's in touch with other teams about options ahead of the trade deadline.

“My job is to be out on the floor and make sure my guys are locked in and ready to go.” “Of course, this is the time of year, with the trade deadline a couple weeks away, where we’re canvassing the league on ways to get better,” Pelinka said. We all have to do our jobs and do them with excellence and all be together. [Rui Hachimura](https://www.latimes.com/sports/lakers/story/2023-01-23/lakers-trade-kendrick-nunn-wizards-rui-hachimura), Pelinka said that “the calculus for the Lakers is to win a championship or not. So as we analyze opportunities, we have to do it through that lens.” [Analysis: Lakers’ acquisition of Rui Hachimura isn’t a blockbuster move, but it’s a sensible one](https://www.latimes.com/sports/lakers/story/2023-01-23/lakers-trade-kendrick-nunn-wizards-rui-hachimura) He has been ramping up his work the last few days, playing five-on-five.

LOS ANGELES — In his first public comments since Lakers Media Day in late September, vice president of basketball operations and general manager Rob Pelinka ...

And Rui is a step in the right direction in terms of that thinking and we’ll continue to see what’s going on, what’s available, what can we do. “And we wouldn’t trade for a young player without doing a deep dive and study and having plans, hopefully, to keep him here for the long term.” “My job is to be out on the floor and make sure my guys are locked in and ready to go.” “And we expect to play very, very hard in those games and hopefully continue to win at a high clip.” [while helpful for the Lakers’ present and future](https://theathletic.com/4118653/2023/01/23/rui-hachimura-trade-la-lakers/), is not enough to give the Lakers a real shot to come out of the West. We all have to do our jobs and do them with excellence and all be together. There is a legitimate argument to be made that the Lakers should go all-in on this season no matter their current record. The Lakers used many of their future trade assets to acquire Davis in 2019 and Russell Westbrook in 2021, so the 2027 and 2029 first-round selections represent their last shot to significantly improve the roster, at least through next season. And, I said this at the beginning of the season, if there’s an opportunity to get all the way to the end and win a championship, there’s no resource we’ll hold onto if we feel like that’s there. “And (it) doesn’t mean our work is finished: We’re going to continue to monitor the situation with the 29 other teams. Our job as a front office is always to look to improve our team both now and in the future, and we felt like Rui was the perfect way to do that. 9 deadline, but preached caution when asked about the possibility of using the team’s most valuable trade assets — the two first-round picks in 2027 and 2029 — to make a more significant roster upgrade.

His organization can help by making more moves like this week's trade for 6-foot-8 forward Rui Hachimura. Even if they don't automatically mean people will ...

My job is to be on the floor and make sure my guys are locked in and ready to go.” They have LeBron and A.D., the pillars of a championship team three seasons ago. But Pelinka and the Lakers can’t overanalyze things. He’s saving that energy for the immense task in front of him on the court. But just like he wasn’t in the mood to celebrate tying one of Michael Jordan’s records with his third 45-plus-point game at 38 or older, James hasn’t been in the mood to tune into any debates over roster construction, either. If there’s an opportunity to get all the way at the end and win a championship, there’s no resource we’ll hold onto if we feel like that’s there. Does that mean the Lakers won’t take aim at, say, Bojan Bogdanovic, the 6-7 Detroit Pistons forward who isn’t a glittering All-Star but is shooting 42.3% from 3-point range this season? “As we analyze opportunities, we have to do it through that lens. “So it’s been very kind of difficult to even digest some of them.” Alone with his thoughts, he tuned out the debate a couple of seats away between teammates Russell Westbrook and Dennis Schroder after their momentum-killing turnover that sparked the Clippers’ 8-0 scoring barrage. There’s no in-between or incremental growth,” Pelinka said during Hachimura’s introductory news conference before tip-off against the Clippers. “But it’s two-fold, I’m happy for him, but we gotta get better.

Despite LeBron James 46 points (career-high 9 3-pt. FG), eight rebounds and seven assists, the Lakers fell to the Clippers, 133-115. Paul George recorded 27 ...

Opposing teams have spent the entire season asking the Lakers for one of their two tradable first-round picks in almost any negotiated trade, but the Washington ...

Further, by starting Hachimura, the Lakers are essentially committing to keeping Davis at center for the rest of the year. Of course, that is a decision the Lakers don't need to make until the offseason. While the Lakers are incredibly thin at forward, their two best players happen to be in the front-court. [Andre Drummond](/nba/players/1992788/andre-drummond/) a starting position in 2021 upon his arrival despite [Marc Gasol's](/nba/players/1231870/marc-gasol/) superior play and fit with the incumbent roster. ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski reported after the deal that the Lakers hope to re-sign Hachimura after the season. [Rui Hachimura](/nba/players/2268082/rui-hachimura/) trade the [Los Angeles Lakers](https://www.cbssports.com/nba/teams/LAL/los-angeles-lakers/) made on Monday was the relatively meager price.

San Antonio visits Los Angeles on Wednesday night as we continue our NBA odds series with a Spurs-Lakers prediction, pick, and how to watch.

Prior to his injury, Davis was in the midst of one of the best seasons of his career. Hachimura was acquired from the Wizards earlier this week and should provide a spark to a thin Lakers roster. LA features a potent offense that ranks fifth in scoring (117.1 PPG) and sixth in field goal percentage (48%). Johnson has been one of the lone bright spots on this San Antonio roster as he finds himself in the midst of a career year. They do a great job running in transition, ranking fourth in fast break scoring (16.9 PPG). The Spurs rank fifth in points in the paint (55.2 PPG). Known as one of the most fearsome interior defenders in the league, Davis’ 2.1 blocks per game could be a major factor in their ability to cover a hefty home spread tonight. San Antonio is one of the few teams firmly in “tank mode” as they hold one of the worst records in the NBA. San Antonio has lost two straight and eight of their last 10 and sits in 14th place in the Western. Despite their poor record, they continue to play traditional Spurs basketball with a heavy focus on ball movement as they rank third in assists (27.2 APG). The Lakers covered 47% of their games while 54% went over. The Spurs covered 49% of their games while 62% went over the projected point total.

LeBron James' incredible performance couldn't stop the Los Angeles Lakers from slumping to another defeat.

James and the 22-26 Lakers are next in action against the San Antonio Spurs on Wednesday night. His dysfunctional Lakers team received a new recruit in Rui Hachimura - and the Japanese star will need to hit the ground running. While the Lakers have struggled for much of the 2022/23 season, James continues to perform and he put on another showcase.

Anthony Davis has been out for nearly six weeks while dealing with a foot injury.

As for the Lakers, they will be without Scotty Pippen Jr., Austin Reaves and Cole Swider. Lonnie Walker IV, LeBron James and Anthony Davis are all listed as ...

At home, the Lakers have a 12-12 record in the 24 games they have hosted in Los Angeles, California. Meanwhile, the Lakers are the 13th seed in the Western Conference with a 22-26 record in 48 games. [Los Angeles Lakers](https://www.si.com/nba/team/los-angeles-lakers) are hosting the [San Antonio Spurs](https://www.si.com/nba/team/san-antonio-spurs) in California.

The Los Angeles Lakers made a trade for Washington Wizards forward Rui Hachimua, and Golden State Warriors forward Draymond Green applauded the move on a ...

On Rui as a player, Green added, "The Rui trade is very good for the Lakers because any time you can get length and athleticism, it's always helpful. I think Kendrick Nunn is going to go to Washington and rediscover the Kendrick Nunn that we saw in Miami... "I actually think Kendrick Nunn is going to go to Washington and play well.

Los Angeles Lakers superstar LeBron James dropping 46 points on Tuesday night against the Los Angeles Clippers, but it was still a blowout loss.

But no one has come close to averaging his 27.4 points and 12.1 rebounds per game in his 25 contests this season. They will face the San Antonio Spurs at home. For example, just one other starter, center Thomas Bryant, totaled double-digit points with 15. [the Clippers](https://www.foxnews.com/category/sports/nba/los-angeles-clippers) won, 133-115. [CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COM](https://www.foxnews.com/sports) [his Lakers](https://www.foxnews.com/category/sports/nba/los-angeles-lakers) are only 22-26, and it might be getting to him a bit.

The Los Angeles Lakers acquired former first-round lottery pick Rui Hachimura from the Washington Wizards on Monday, in exchange for Kendrick Nunn and a package ...

Nunn has averaged 6.7 points in 39 games this season, 37 of them in a reserve role, with wildly inconsistent contributions offensively. Hachimura will be reuniting with penetrating guard Russell Westbrook, his teammate in Washington during the 2020-21 season. “Kendrick has shown the ability to be a solid perimeter threat who can provide instant offense as a reserve,” Wizards President Tommy Sheppard said. … I just want to be somewhere that believes in me and I can be myself. He was in the final year of his four-year rookie contract with the Wizards. At 22-25, they’re in 12th place in the Western Conference, but entered Monday just two games behind the Los Angeles Clippers for the No.

The Lakers (22-26) complete their back-to-back tonight with a visit from the San Antonio Spurs (14-33). The game begins at 7:30 p.m. PST and will b...

Prior to his injury, Davis was on the shortlist of MVP candidates and playing some of the best ball of his career. Still, Rui’s greatest contribution to the Lakers may be on the defensive end, where his stature gives the team a needed boost in size, which allows them to more properly align matchups. They also employ the services of sharpshooter Doug McDermott (42.1% from 3) and 7-foot-1 efficient center Jakob Poeltl. And, of course, the sports world continues to count down as he’s just 178 points away from eclipsing Kareem Abdul-Jabbar as the NBA’s scoring king. He dropped 46 points, giving him a 40-point game against every team in the league, and contributed eight rebounds and seven assists. The Lakers (22-26) complete their back-to-back tonight with a visit from the San Antonio Spurs (14-33).

Lakers star Anthony Davis, out the past 5½ weeks with a foot injury, will return Wednesday night and come off the bench for the first time in nearly a ...

All told, Davis has been a substitute in only five out of the 629 games he has played in his career. 18, 2013, in Los Angeles against the He will be on a minutes restriction in the 20-24 minute range, sources told ESPN.

Davis hasn't come off the bench in a game since 2013-14, his second season in the league with New Orleans.

[Thomas Bryant](https://theathletic.com/nba/player/thomas-bryant-dq4B2s0HiwRTR3cB/), who stepped up in Davis’ absence, averaging 15.5 points and 9.4 rebounds. [New Orleans](https://theathletic.com/nba/team/pelicans/). Ham has hinted he’ll try more lineups with Bryant and Davis together, which could push James and Hachimura to small forward more often, forming a bigger and more physically imposing frontline (while limiting the use of the Lakers’ three-guard lineups, which have struggled). But the Lakers’ coaching staff is going to have a lot to figure out over the next few games. Davis will be eased in with a minutes restriction in the 20-to-24-minute range. His return comes at a pivotal time for the Lakers, as they’re just 1.5 games out of the Play-In Tournament and 2.5 games out of the playoffs.

The Los Angeles Lakers traded for Rui Hachimura from the Washington Wizards Monday, and Dennis Schröder couldn't believe it when a livestream viewer broke ...

[LEBRON JAMES LOOKS FED UP ON LAKERS' BENCH AFTER DROPPING 46 POINTS IN LOSS](https://www.foxnews.com/sports/lebron-james-looks-fed-up-lakers-bench-dropping-46-points-loss) Nunn has gotten limited time with the Lakers this season, averaging 13.5 minutes over his 39 games with 6.7 points, 1.4 rebounds and 0.9 assists. We want to thank Kendrick Nunn and his family for his time as a Laker, and we wish him nothing but the best in the future." … I just want to be somewhere that believes in me and I can be myself. "We are excited to welcome Rui and his family to the Los Angeles Lakers," Lakers general manager Rob Pelinka said in a statement. The rumors ended up being true. [CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP](https://www.foxnews.com/apps-products?pid=AppArticleLink) "I just want to be somewhere that wants me as a basketball player," Hachimura said last week. I gotta text Kendrick Nunn." [out of Gonzaga](https://www.foxnews.com/category/sports/ncaa/gonzaga-bulldogs) in the 2019 NBA Draft, and he was named to the All-Rookie Team after averaging 13.5 points, 6.1 rebounds and 1.8 assists per game for Washington. "Rui for Kendrick Nunn? [CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COM](https://www.foxnews.com/sports)

Anthony Davis scored 21 points, LeBron James had 20 as the Lakers bounced back with a 113-104 win over the Spurs on Wednesday at Crypto.com Arena.

He finished with 12 points, six rebounds and was a team-best plus-17 in 22 minutes. The first field goal was a swished three-pointer. Davis took a scary-looking fall near midcourt at the end of the third quarter. “I thought he looked good,” Lakers coach Darvin Ham said after the win. “We have a video playbook that he has full access to, that he’s been using, looking at. He landed awkwardly on his right foot after a shot challenge by Zach Collins. He scored 21 points in 26 minutes to go with four blocks and 12 rebounds. We’ve also physically, manually put him through some scripting. He added a finish near the rim, a silky turnaround jumper and a two-handed dunk before the end of the first half. Ham said he wanted Davis to come off the bench so he’d be available under his minutes limit at the close of the game and that he was comfortable with Davis’ recovery. That was a huge relief.” “...

Anthony Davis scores 21 points in his return from a right foot injury and Rui Hachimura adds 12 in his Lakers debut -- both off the bench.

We need to work on everything that we need to shore up and that’s a lot of different areas. It definitely helped as the forward had six points during a fourth-quarter run when the Lakers took control. Davis did give the fans at Crypto.com Arena a slight scare at the end of the third quarter when he went down while being fouled on a 3-point attempt near midcourt. “I was testing the waters at first,” Davis said. Davis was a little tentative his first couple minutes back on the floor. He was 7 of 15 from the field and also had 12 rebounds in 26 minutes for his 19th double-double in 26 games played this season.

Even making his first off-the-bench appearance since 2013, Davis still had 21 points, 12 rebounds and four blocked shots in 26 minutes in his return from a 20- ...

But in general, he’s a guy that’s gonna set the table, put his teammates in a position to succeed.” After going 0 for 2 from the field in the first quarter, he caught a shooting rhythm and was 7 for 13 the rest of the night to go with a 6-for-7 showing from the free-throw line. But the oft-injured star was quickly on his feet again and sank the three free throws he was awarded when Collins was hit with a flagrant foul. His team-high six turnovers were another sign of a dull edge – or perhaps just as much an indicator of the craftiness of San Antonio’s Tre Jones plucking four steals. Hachimura had six points during the spurt and James scored five. It was the Spurs who looked fresh against the Lakers, who had finished But in the moment, Ham quipped that he almost fainted when it looked like his big man was down again. Hachimura saw his number called in transition with early layups, but also a few post-ups – which Davis noted with mock envy are normally called for him. The group powered up during an 11-0 run early in the fourth quarter that effectively put them in command: James, Dennis Schröder and Max Christie all hit 3-pointers, then Thomas Bryant flushed a sharp feed from James to give the Lakers a 10-point edge. The Lakers also simultaneously debuted newly acquired Rui Hachimura, a sturdy 6-foot-8 forward who had 12 points, six rebounds and a handful of bright moments – including a few transition feeds from James. The Lakers were far from a well-oiled machine on Wednesday night despite having a good deal of their parts finally in order. Running the pick-and-roll attack they’ve been refining for nearly four years, LeBron James and Anthony Davis seemed in lockstep zooming toward the rim – where defenses fear them the most.