Lakers face Wizards Davis' absence affects offensive and defensive performance

On January 31 , the Los Angeles Lakers will challenge the Washington Wizards on the road. This is also the second confrontation between the two sides this season. In the latest injury report before the game, the Lakers officially confirmed that AnthonyDavis will miss this game due to an abdominal strain. It is expected that he will be absent for at least a week and will be re-examined a week later. At the same time, LeBronJames and Hachimura Rui are likely to play. For the Lakers who are aiming for a better ranking, Davis' absence is undoubtedly a major blow .

Currently, the Lakers are ranked fifth in the Western Conference with a record of 26 wins and 19 losses. They have been relatively stable recently, winning 6 of the past 8 games. However, in the last game against the Philadelphia 76ers, the Lakers failed to win on the road due to Davis' injury. Moreover, in the last 5 games, the opponents defeated by the Lakers generally had average records, including the Washington Wizards, Golden State Warriors and Charlotte Hornets. Therefore, facing the Wizards who have been losing streak, the Lakers have a chance of winning, but without Davis, both offense and defense are bound to be affected.

Davis is the core of the Lakers' offense and defense this season, contributing efficient points and rebounds per game, while also taking on the responsibility of protecting the rim on the defensive end. His absence means that the Lakers need to rely more on James on the offensive end, and the team's interior defense pressure will also increase. Head coach Davin Ham may need to adjust tactics and let Wood, Reddish and others take on more defensive responsibilities to fill the vacancy left by Davis.

The Washington Wizards have a bad record this season, and have suffered 15 consecutive losses, ranking last in the Eastern Conference. In the last five games, they lost to the Lakers, Clippers, Suns, Mavericks and Raptors respectively, and their offensive and defensive performances were very sluggish. So far this season, the Wizards' average score is only 96.0 points per game, while the average loss is as high as 115.2 points per game. The imbalance on both offense and defense makes it difficult for them to take the initiative in the game.

Judging from the record of the two sides, the Lakers won the first game against the Wizards this season with a score of 111-88. Although the Wizards played at home in this game, they did not have an advantage in terms of record, morale or lineup configuration.

With Davis' absence, the Lakers will rely more on James' performance. As the team's leader, James has stepped up at critical moments many times this season. His experience and comprehensive ability will be the key to the Lakers' victory. In addition, Hachimura may be able to show a more aggressive performance when facing his former team, the Wizards. Reeves, Russell and others also need to provide more help on the offensive end.

Although the Lakers are in good form recently, Davis' absence may still affect the team's overall performance. Facing the Wizards, a team at the bottom of the rankings, if the Lakers can maintain their normal performance, they are expected to win again. However, if the defense cannot make up for the impact of Davis' absence, the Wizards may have a chance to create some threats with the advantage of home court. For the Lakers, this is not just an ordinary regular season game, but also an important test for them to adjust their tactics and run-in the lineup in the absence of core players.