WASHINGTON, D.C. — For a few minutes on Saturday night, the Lakers let themselves smile a little.

After LeBron James chased down Karl Malone to become the NBA’s second-leading regular season scorer, coach Frank Vogel called it “an incredible feat,” and Russell Westbrook called it “a great accomplishment.”

Carmelo Anthony thought back to 2003, when he and LeBron James were entering the NBA and couldn’t even have dreamt of chasing all-time records held by the titans who came before them.

“When I was younger, I used to think, ‘Ain’t nobody catching Karl Malone. Nobody catching Kareem,’” Anthony said. “But in quick time, you see it, and you take your hat off to LeBron for what he’s been able to do and what he’s been doing.”

But James’ feats – which include rocketing up the all-time scoring list, notching two 50-point games in the same week, and battling Joel Embiid and Giannis Antetokounmpo for the league scoring title at 37 – are still being overshadowed. The Lakers (30-41) keep losing, and while Vogel suggested “it’s important to separate” James’ milestones from the results, that’s something even James himself is not willing to do.

“ I can’t separate the fact that we weren’t able to get this win with me accomplishing that,” he said, “because at the end of the day all I care about is wins and losses.”

The wins and losses have been rough. Since All-Star break, the Lakers are just 3-10. Their net rating (minus-8.3) since All-Star is better only than that of the tanking Oklahoma City Thunder and Portland Trail Blazers. Even when James and Westbrook have played well together – in Houston, in Toronto and in Washington – the Lakers have found themselves just scraping by, or more often not scraping by at all.

The fourth quarter of Saturday’s loss to the Wizards was a microcosm of their issues: When Washington changed tactics, attacking them with Kristaps Porzingis in the paint and using his size to his shots above the small lineup, the Lakers couldn’t zag. Dwight Howard, 36, hadn’t played at all, and coach Frank Vogel was reluctant to throw him in during the fourth quarter without warming him up. Furthermore, Porzingis’ ability to stretch the floor still might have tested Howard’s ability to defend toward the perimeter – opening the Lakers up for more attacks inside.

“We were beating them all night with our switches,” Vogel said, explaining his decision to stay small. “He was able to capitalize down the stretch against the switches, making some tough shots. We gambled on one and he was able to get to the basket, and we changed coverage and he hit a pick-and-pop three. That’s what he’s known for and what he’s capable of. He creates that type of mismatch problem.”

But more to the point: The Lakers – who are down to one traditional center, haven’t played Trevor Ariza recently and are using G League pickups Stanley Johnson and Wenyen Gabriel (who played just seven NBA games earlier this season before signing a two-way contract) as forwards – don’t have the flexibility to beat teams that can change strategy midgame.

Their shooters haven’t been able to defend. Their defenders haven’t been able to shoot. And even when James and Westbrook combine for 60 points, 20 rebounds and 14 assists, they can still lose.

“I thought we played long stretches of tonight’s game the right way with confidence from last night’s performance (in Toronto),” Vogel said. “But this group has to learn how to win. They have to learn how to win together.”

Veterans were more ambivalent in their assessments. When asked what the Lakers are missing in their close game letdowns, James only said: “We haven’t been consistent all year.”

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The missing piece that might – and emphasis on “might” – help was shooting around before Saturday’s game. Anthony Davis, more than a month removed from his right foot sprain, was shooting and doing very light dribbling with assistant coach Mike Penberthy. At his deliberate pace, not breaking a sweat, Davis did not appear on the verge of return.

Davis’ mere presence makes the Lakers a better rebounding team, a better defensive team, and a better inside scoring team. His versatility from the rim to the perimeter gives the Lakers needed size and mobility. He helps them adapt when opponents shift their tactics. At the moment, the Lakers – even with James and Westbrook playing well – don’t have enough chess pieces.

There are just 11 games left, and a good chunk of them are almost certainly without Davis. On Sunday, the New Orleans Pelicans finally pulled even with the Lakers in the standings. Because New Orleans has a 1-0 series lead, they would host a single-elimination play-in game if the season ended today. But the Lakers might have even bigger problems with San Antonio just 3 games behind for 10th place. While being bumped out of the play-in is unlikely, it’s not impossible if the Lakers can’t pull out of their slump.

James now just has 1,440 points to go to catch Kareem Abdul-Jabbar for the all-time regular season scoring record (he already has the most combined regular season and postseason points). It’s a mark that he’s primed to break next season if he can maintain anything close to the scoring production he’s put together this year. But James said he’d let that record come organically, as he always has.

“I will not allow myself to think about it,” he said.

The way the Lakers have been playing makes it hard to think about anything else.