Los Angeles @ Washington preview

Last Meeting ( Nov 9, 2017 ) L.A. Lakers 95, Washington 111

The Los Angeles Lakers are soaring toward the top of the Western Conference and look to build off another runaway win when they visit the new-look Washington Wizards on Sunday. LeBron James and Lonzo Ball both recorded triple-doubles for the Lakers in Friday's 128-100 rout of Charlotte as Los Angeles won for the seventh time in nine games, with three of the victories coming by at least 23 points.

James and Ball became the first Lakers teammates to record triple-doubles in the same game since 1982 as the team moved within 1 1/2 games of first place in the West. The Wizards are coming off a tumultuous couple of days, first seeing a proposed three-team deal fall apart after Friday's 125-118 loss at Brooklyn and then working out a trade with Phoenix the following day. Washington will receive veteran Trevor Ariza, who was averaging 9.9 points for the Suns, for guard Austin Rivers and forward Kelly Oubre Jr. The streaky Wizards have lost four in a row following a three-game winning streak after dropping a 125-118 decision to the Nets.

TV: 6 p.m. ET, Spectrum SportsNet (Los Angeles), NBCS Washington

ABOUT THE LAKERS (18-11): Ball recorded 16 points, 10 rebounds, 10 assists and five steals while helping to contain Hornets star Kemba Walker, who finished with a season-low four points on 2-of-13 shooting. "He's been really good defensively," coach Luke Walton told reporters of Ball. "He's been hounding people. Fighting over screens. There's nothing we did different, but Zo has really good size to him and he's got good feet and he's got a good feel for the game." James finished with 24 points, 12 rebounds and 11 assists on Saturday and averaged 35.5 points on 58.9 percent shooting in four matchups with Washington last season.

ABOUT THE WIZARDS (11-18): Ariza makes nearly two 3-pointers per game and hits on 36 percent of his long-range shots, a figure that could help a Washington team that ranks 27th in the NBA with a 32.8 percent mark. John Wall is averaging 25.5 points and 13 assists over his last two games, but he has gone 2-for-15 from 3-point range over a three-game stretch. Fellow guard Bradley Beal is averaging 29.2 points and six assists during a five-game surge.

BUZZER BEATERS

1. Wizards SF Jeff Green is 11-for-19 from 3-point range over a four-game span.

2. James' triple-double on Saturday was his second of the season and the 75th of his career.

3. The teams split two meetings in 2017-18.

PREDICTION: Lakers 114, Wizards 112