Lakers Defeat Wizards as LeBron James, Anthony Davis Sit out Scrimmage

There wasn't much star power on the court Monday when the Los Angeles Lakers and Washington Wizards met in a scrimmage, with LeBron James, Anthony Davis, Kyle Kuzma and Dwight Howard all held out of the contest. There was no Bradley Beal or Avery Bradley either, with both players sitting out the restart in Orlando.  

That gave the role players from both teams a chance to shine, however, with the Lakers winning the matchup 123-116. 

Lakers fan favorite Alex Caruso showed why he'll have a big role in the team's postseason run after a strong game Monday, while JR Smith and Dion Waiters had solid performances in their battle to earn minutes going forward. 

Key Stats

Alex Caruso, LAL: 17 points, six assists, five rebounds

JR Smith, LAL: 20 points, five rebounds

Rui Hachimura, WAS: 19 points

Dion Waiters, LAL: 18 points, six assists

Danny Green, LAL: 13 points

Jerome Robinson, WAS: 18 points, three assists

JR Smith Making a Strong Case to Crack Rotation

Smith went off on Monday, obliterating the Wizards from beyond the arc (6-of-7). Smith's path to significant minutes is pretty simple: If he hits shots from the perimeter and plays solid defense, he'll have a role for the Lakers, much as he did with James in Cleveland. 

Granted, the Lakers have options for replacing Bradley's minutes at the 2, from Caruso and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope to Smith and Waiters. Frank Vogel will have the luxury to go with the hot hand on the wing. 

On Monday, Smith had that hot hand while Waiters (8-of-17 from the field) showed why he could be a solid option when James sits. It still seems likely that both Waiters and Smith could see time, though the catch-and-shoot Smith is the more natural fit with James, while Waiters—given that he operates better creating looks for himself off the dribble—may be better served staggered with James. 

Rui Hachimura Showing Nice Growth in Orlando

The Wizards rookie followed up a double-double in the team's last scrimmage with a solid scoring option on Monday, showing why he'll be the focal point of this Washington team heading into the restart. 

With no Beal and a 5.5-game deficit to make up in the Eastern Conference playoff hunt, the Wizards can afford to focus more on the development of a young prospect like Hachimura. He heads into the resumption of the season averaging 13.4 points and six rebounds, solid marks for a rookie. 

If he thrives on the restart, Wizards fans will have reason to head into next season with high expectations for both Hachimura and the team's prospects going forward. 

What's Next?

The Lakers open the resumed season Thursday at 9 p.m. ET against the Los Angeles Clippers, while the Wizards do the same Friday at 4 p.m. ET against the Phoenix Suns.