The Los Angeles Lakers continue their quest for a playoff spot when they clash with the reeling and lowly Washington Wizards on Wednesday night inside the Capital One Arena in Washington, DC. Tip-off is at 7:00 p.m., and the Lakers know that this upcoming stretch will determine whether they make the postseason. 

Bookmaker has installed the Lakers as a solid - 12.5-point favorite in this game. 

The Lakers are on the outside looking in regarding the playoff picture in the Western Conference. They are currently the ninth seed, and many fans have wondered how much future Hall of Famer LeBron James has left in the tank. 

James has played a lot of minutes this season, averaging 25 points per night while logging 35.2 minutes of action for Los Angeles, which scores 117 a night. They should be able to hit around 120 plus in this one because the Wizards do not play excellent interior defense. 

Plus, they lag back on defense, which should also play right into the Lakers' hands. They also get 24 points and 12 rebounds a night from budding star Anthony Davis, who has played the power forward brilliantly this season. He has been engaged and on the floor and has done a great job of playing both ends of the floor. 

If the Wizards are to win this one, they need to outscore the Lakers early on and try to get into the locker room at halftime ahead. They just do not have the horses right now to compete with even average teams, but if they can grab an early lead and put pressure on the Lakers, maybe they can walk out with a win. 

Offensively, they have struggled mightily this season, averaging only 112 points per game. They have not had a season like this in a long time, and the sooner the season ends, the sooner they can figure out what direction the franchise is going. They really have no identity, and they are still unsure of what players they can and can not build around. 

They are led by Kyle Kuzma, who has played well but has been stuck on bad teams, so we can not appreciate his game. He is averaging around 22 points per contest, which is a team-high. If they have a chance, Washington has to win the battle of the boards. They do not have the horses to keep up with the Lakers, which could be a blowout. 

The Wizards are 2-3 in their last five games and 2-2 in their previous five games against the spread. The Wizards are also 21-15 in their road games against the spread. The totals have gone over in two out of their last five games. The Lakers are 4-1 in their previous five games and 4-1 in their last five games against the spread. They are also 16-20 in their road games against the spread.