Lakers secure hard-fought win over Knicks
The Lakers executed better than the Knicks in the final quarter, earning a road win.
In Madison Square Garden, the Lakers faced the Knicks in a game full of intensity. It was a back-and-forth affair, but the Lakers finished strong in the fourth quarter, securing a 128-112 victory on the road.
LeBron James, who thrives in New York, had another outstanding performance, recording a triple-double with 33 points, 12 assists, and 11 rebounds. Austin Reaves had a slow start but came alive in the second half, finishing with 27 points, six assists, and five rebounds.
Off the bench, Dorian Finney-Smith delivered an impressive shooting display, scoring 15 points and making 5 of 6 three-pointers.
The Lakers are now 4-1 on their “Grammy Trip,” ensuring a winning road trip for Los Angeles.
LeBron opened the scoring for the Lakers with a quick basket, and Los Angeles started the game with a 7-3 run.
Rui Hachimura found his rhythm early, knocking down a pair of corner three-pointers and finishing strong at the rim, totaling eight points early on.
Los Angeles led 17-14 after the first timeout.
After the break, LeBron extended the Lakers’ lead with a basket over OG Anunoby, but Jalen Brunson responded with a layup, and a three-point play by Precious Achiuwa tied the game at 23.
The Lakers briefly regained the lead, but missed shots and a few offensive fouls kept the game close as New York kept pace heading into the second quarter.
Both teams traded baskets for the remainder of the half, but neither could pull away. For the Lakers, Dorian Finney-Smith caught fire, sinking his first four three-pointers in the second quarter.
The Knicks struggled to get their stars, Brunson and Karl-Anthony Towns, going, and the Lakers ended the half up 59-54.
Austin Reaves opened the second half with a three-pointer to maintain the Lakers’ slight lead.
However, the Knicks were dealt a blow early in the third when OG Anunoby suffered a right foot sprain and did not return, limiting their bench depth.
Midway through the quarter, Reaves converted three free throws, and Max Christie added a tough finish to extend the Lakers’ lead to eight.
New York answered every time the Lakers tried to pull away, with Miles McBride hitting a four-point play to keep the Knicks within reach.
In the final minute of the third, Josh Hart went on a personal 5-0 run, including a buzzer-beating three, bringing the Knicks within 91-89 entering the fourth.
With a slim lead heading into the final 12 minutes, the Lakers needed a full effort to secure the win.
Christie opened the scoring in the fourth with a three-pointer, and a putback dunk by Jaxson Hayes put the Lakers up by five.
Hachimura followed with a hook shot, giving Los Angeles a little more breathing room.
LeBron had a quiet third but erupted in the fourth, throwing down two highlight dunks to keep the momentum with L.A.
Up by nine with 5:41 remaining, LeBron hit a three-pointer, and after a layup by Christie, the lead grew to double digits.
Finney-Smith added another three-pointer, and a Rui Hachimura slam sealed the win as the Knicks emptied their bench with under two minutes left.
Key Takeaways
The Lakers earned a tough victory, with solid defense on Karl-Anthony Towns and Brunson. LeBron’s dominance in the fourth quarter helped L.A. secure one of their best wins of the season.
The Lakers shot exceptionally well from three-point range, hitting 19 of 40 attempts. With Anthony Davis sidelined, the combination of sharp perimeter shooting and strong defense proved to be the key to success.
