The Lakers Lost To The Wizards In OT After LeBron Missed A Game-Winning Free Throw

The Lakers are officially in a funk. After some narrow escapes earlier this month, the Anthony Davis-less Lakers have dropped three straight, with the latest coming in rather ugly fashion after blowing a 14-point halftime lead to the streaking Wizards to lose 127-124 in overtime.

L.A. was on cruise control in the first half and it seemed like they would right the ship and pick up a win to end Washington’s four-game winning streak. However, Bradley Beal, Russell Westbrook, and the young Wizards had other ideas as they stormed back to take a four-point lead late in the fourth quarter, thanks to a Deni Avdija three-pointer with just under 30 seconds to play.

LeBron got to the basket for a layup to cut the lead to two, and the Wizards rather bizarrely inbounded the ball to Russell Westbrook, who is shooting just 62.5 percent from the line on the season. Westbrook split the free throws to make it just a two-point lead, and James again got inside to make a leaning shot against Russ for an and-1 opportunity. However, LeBron also had his free throw issues pop up at the worst possible time, coming up way short on his attempt to take the lead.

Bradley Beal’s game winning attempt went begging, and the Lakers, for the fourth time this season, were headed to OT against a sub-.500 squad. In overtime, the L.A. offense again stagnated and the Wizards jumped out to a lead thanks to some sensational shot-making from Bradley Beal.

A Kentavious Caldwell-Pope three late made it a one-point game and after a foul called on Marc Gasol with 14 seconds left, the Lakers had to try and trap or at least foul to keep hope alive. Instead, LeBron lost the inbounder as Westbrook cut to the rim and got an and-1 layup to go up three.

He missed the free throw again, leaving the door ajar for the Lakers, but LeBron took an early 30-foot heave that wasn’t close and Kyle Kuzma’s mad scramble three from the corner missed everything to hand the Lakers a third straight loss and Washington an improbable and impressive fifth straight win. Beal and Wesbrook combined for 65 in the win, while James had 31 points, 13 assists, and nine rebounds in the loss, as the Lakers continue to struggle to figure out how to consistently create on offense without Davis in the lineup.