WASHINGTON >> The Lakers believed if they could just force John Wall to take jump shots, they might be able to steal a win from the red-hot Washington Wizards.
“That was the plan and we executed it,” Jordan Clarkson said.
Unfortunately for the Lakers, playing their first game on a five-game Eastern Conference swing, Wall was at his very best Thursday night, knocking down the very shots the Lakers wanted him to take, scoring 16 of his game-high 33 points in the final quarter of a 116-108 Wizards victory.
It was just more heartbreak for the Lakers, who rallied from a 19-point deficit in the first half to tie the score at 91 with 9:09 left. It was a rousing comeback from the Lakers, who opened the final period led by Clarkson and Lou Williams and with Larry Nance Jr. hammering home an alley-oop dunk from Williams.
“It was really just having fun,” Nance said. “We were out there playing and being unselfish, playing for one another. Any time you do that, basketball’s fun.”
As with most good things with this young Lakers team, which is now 17-35, the momentum was short-lived.
The seedlings of progress, however, are there.
“We’re giving ourselves an opportunity to really close out games,” D’Angelo Russell said. “We (lost) the game within the last eight or nine minutes, but we’ll get over the hump.”
After playing 114 career games without notching 10 assists, Russell hit the benchmark for the second straight game, tallying 11 to go with 17 points and seven rebounds.
“When he comes off (screens) and makes quick decisions,” Coach Luke Walton said, “that’s when we’re at our best as a team. I love how aggressive he’s been playing. Not only offensively, but defensively. I thought he did a really good job on John Wall tonight.”
Clarkson led five Lakers in double figures with 20 points. Nick Young, who learned Thursday he had been selected to participate in the 3-point shootout at All-Star Weekend in New Orleans, finished was held to seven points and made only one of his eight 3-point attempts.
While Russell stayed on a roll, another of the Lakers saw his hot streak come to an end. After scoring in double figures for three straight games, 19-year-old rookie Ivica Zubac tallied just four points in 11 minutes, grabbing three rebounds and blocking one shot.
The rookie’s struggles inspired Walton to turn to Julius Randle, who had missed the last two games with pneumonia. Walton had been unsure if he would utilize Randle, who had gone through intense pre-game workouts as if he would not play.
“I thought Zu just looked slow tonight,” Walton said. “We didn’t have time to waste, so I was seeing if Julius could jump start us a little bit.”
As it turned out, nothing could save the Lakers in the second quarter. It proved to be their undoing as they were outscored, 27-15. They committed 15 first-half turnovers, including nine in the second quarter.
The bleeding stopped at 20 turnovers as the Lakers gained control in the second half, but the damage was done. Russell was responsible for seven of the giveaways.
“I think we were just trying to make the home run pass,” Nance said. “There’s the easy pass available, but there’s always like, ‘Man, if I get this, it’d be pretty special.’”
Randle finished with two points in six minutes. He said he was “shocked” and “scared” to learn he had caught pneumonia last week but was happy to be on the mend.
“Unfortunately with stuff like that it’s a long process to fully get it out of your system,” he said, “but I’m getting better day by day.”
All-Star bound
Young’s resurgent season hasn’t quite been All-Star-worthy, but it has been impressive enough to get him a spot among the rest of the league’s best perimeter shooters. The 31-year-old will finally be able to showcase his prowess during All-Star Weekend’s 3-point shootout on Feb. 18 in New Orleans.
Young said it “feels good” to be invited and that he intends to win the competition.
“Why wouldn’t I say that?” he said. “I’m going to see where it goes, where I match up (and) come back to L.A. with the trophy.”
He will compete against Houston’s Eric Gordon, Cleveland’s Kyrie Irving, Toronto’s Kyle Lowry, Dallas’ Wesley Matthews, Portland’s CJ McCollum, Charlotte’s Kemba Walker and the defending champion, Golden State star Klay Thompson.
Young is shooting a career-high 42.4 percent on 3-pointers, ninth-best in the NBA and third among players who have made at least 100. He has made 129 3-pointers in 44 games, just six short of his career high (2013-14).
He is the third Laker to compete in the shootout, joining Michael Cooper (1987) and Byron Scott (1987, ’88).
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