Lakers End Trip Unsuccessfully Against Wizards

The slumping Lakers suffered their second consecutive loss as Chris Webber scored 31 points to lead the Washington Wizards to a 96-86 victory Monday night.

Shaquille O’Neal had 28 points and 15 rebounds, but the Lakers could not rebound from Sunday’s 101-89 loss to the New York Knicks. The Lakers lost for the sixth time in 11 games.

The Wizards recovered from a 103-77 drubbing by Dallas on Saturday.

The Lakers, the NBA’s worst free-throw shooting team, were 12 for 22 from the line, including six for 11 in the fourth quarter. O’Neal was four for nine.

Calbert Cheaney had 21 points and eight rebounds, while Rod Strickland had 19 points, eight assists and six rebounds. Strickland also helped hold Kobe Bryant to four points on four-for-seven shooting.

Webber, who had 10 rebounds, eight assists and three blocks, scored the first five points in an 11-4 run that ended the third quarter and put the Wizards ahead for good, 74-67. The Lakers never got closer than seven afterward, and the game was all but over when O’Neal was called for a flagrant foul that sent Webber to the floor with 2:20 left.