The Lakers manufactured yet another upset against a team with a better record than them, this time versus a red-hot Knicks squad.
This has truly been an enigmatic season for the Los Angeles Lakers. They have come out lackadaisical and with what seemed to be a casual attitude a number of times against lesser teams, which has led to many losses against such squads.
On the other hand, they have consistently shown up against teams with a better record than them and manufactured quite a few wins against such opposition.
Versus the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden on Saturday, the Lakers looked to be overmatched, especially given the fact that the Knicks came in with a nine-game winning streak and were the NBA’s hottest team. But surprisingly, the first half was very competitive. Neither team shot well, but they were able to compete by making timely shots, while New York stayed in the game with its rebounding, particularly its offensive rebounding.
After the game was tied at 59 at intermission, New York surged ahead to an eight-point lead late in the third quarter, but the Purple and Gold regained the lead early in the fourth quarter thanks to nine unanswered points to start the period. Their defense was suffocating down the stretch, partly because they often trapped Knicks All-Star Jalen Brunson when he had the ball on the perimeter while making multiple efforts to contest shots at or near the rim.
While Brunson scored 11 of his 36 points in the fourth quarter, seven of those points came off concession baskets in the final seconds with the outcome already decided.
By outscoring the home team 33-19 in the final frame, L.A. achieved an inspiring 113-105 victory. The Knicks’ winning streak is now history, and their fans, who are perhaps the best in all of pro basketball, left the Garden deflated.
The Lakers are now 26-25 on the season and are in ninth place in the Western Conference, and they’re just 4.5 games behind the fifth-place Sacramento Kings. They’re also 3-2 on their current six-game road trip, which wraps up on Monday against the 10-37 Charlotte Hornets.
Here’s all you need to know ahead of Saturday’s Lakers versus Knicks game.
The Los Angeles Lakers visit the New York Knicks on Saturday, and if you’re wondering how you can watch the action live, you’ve come to the right place.
Early this week, the Lakers (25-25) were blown out on back-to-back nights by the Houston Rockets and Atlanta Hawks, causing a good deal of concern. Yet even with LeBron James and Anthony Davis sitting out, they somehow defeated the Boston Celtics, who have the NBA’s best record, 114-105.
However, the victory came at a significant cost. Forward Jarred Vanderbilt, who has been a major spark plug for L.A., sustained a right foot injury late in the first half and didn’t return. While X-rays were negative, the team reportedly expects him to miss several weeks of action.
New York is riding a nine-game winning streak and is the hottest team in basketball. It has a 32-17 record and is in third place in the Eastern Conference even though All-Star forward Julius Randle has missed its last three contests.
Fellow All-Star Jalen Brunson has been on a heater lately; he’s averaging 32.6 points in his last nine games.
These two teams met at Crypto.com Arena on Dec. 18 with New York winning 114-109.
ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith made a proposal to LeBron James to go to the Knicks in order to have a real shot at his fifth NBA championship.
The exercise in frustration and inconsistency that has been the Los Angeles Lakers’ 2023-24 season has continued unabated, and it has led to some conversations the team’s fans may not want to have.
Trade rumors have swirled around the organization since early in the season. Over the last several weeks, much of that talk has centered on Atlanta Hawks guard Dejounte Murray.
But this week, there has been wild speculation the Lakers might even try to trade LeBron James. As a result, various pundits have made trade proposals involving him.
ESPN personality Stephen A. Smith’s proposal was simple: James should ask for a trade to the New York Knicks if he wants to win his fifth NBA championship (h/t The Cold Wire).
Smith’s reasoning is the red-hot Knicks, who are currently riding a nine-game winning streak, have the defense and a brilliant incumbent star, guard Jalen Brunson, to give James the support he needs to win it all.
Rich Paul, James’ agent, said publicly James doesn’t want to be traded and will not be.
The superstar and his team will get an up-close-and-personal look at the Knicks when they face Brunson’s crew at Madison Square Garden on Saturday.
Rookie Wire looked at the NBA through games played on Thursday and ranked each team from worst to first.
After an exciting first half of the season, the NBA is closing in on the trade deadline and All-Star Weekend the following week to start the stretch run for teams vying for playoff positioning.
The trade chatter will certainly ramp up considerably before Thursday, with several teams expected to be active. The impending rumors and other speculation should once again create plenty of storylines to watch over the next several days.
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The league announced the 14 reserve players for the All-Star Game on Thursday, with several first-time selections joining the mainstays in the exhibition this year. Of course, the announcement wasn’t without controversy regarding those snubbed players.
To make further sense of it all, Rookie Wire looked at the NBA and ranked each team from worst to first. We will return each week and provide our latest assessment of the best teams and those that are rising.
Brunson, who just narrowly missed a spot in the starting lineup for the Eastern Conference, made the team as a reserve. The guard is having an outstanding campaign for New York and he is currently leading them to one of the best records in the East.
After learning he was an All-Star, the two-time NCAA national champion scored 40 points en route to a victory against the Pacers. During his walk-off interview at Madison Square Garden, the 27-year-old guard was emotional.
Alan Hahn spoke to Brunson following the performance and it was hard for the former Villanova star to find the right words.
Brunson described the evening as “fun” as he looked into the crowd at the world-famous arena.
He was asked about the “MVP” chants coming from the fanbase and once again, Brunson was nearly speechless. He said he had nothing to say as the experience seemed to overwhelm him.
No matter how closely you follow sports, these are the kinds of surreal moments that give you goosebumps.
Taj Gibson and Tom Thibodeau can’t quit each other.
Taj Gibson and Tom Thibodeau just can’t quit each other. With Mitchell Robinson out for most of the season (if not the full season, including the playoffs) and Julius Randle expected to miss at least several weeks, the New York Knicks have signed veteran frontcourt utilityman and savvy veteran Taj Gibson to a 10-day deal, per Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN via Priority Sports agency.
A Thibodeau favorite who played for the Knicks from 2019-22, and who previously played for Thibs on the Chicago Bulls in previous years, Gibson appeared in 10 games through December before he got officially waived on Jan. 7.
During his brief tenure with the Knicks earlier this season, Gibson averaged 1.4 points, 5.9 rebounds, one assist, and one block per game in nearly 10 minutes per game.
The former Trojan, now 38 years old, received a standing ovation from the New York crowd at Madison Squad Garden upon returning for his latest 10-day stint. The Knicks are having a strong season and Gibson is treated with respect in New York because of his strong work ethic and dedication to team-first goals.
He’s back! Free agent F/C Taj Gibson is signing a 10-day contract with the New York Knicks, Mark Bartelstein of @PrioritySports tells ESPN. pic.twitter.com/uaz5H876sh
Rookie Wire took a look at the 2024 NBA draft class and where the top prospects stand as of Feb. 1.
The top NBA draft prospects worldwide have collectively reached the second halves of their respective seasons as they look to showcase themselves in front of scouts and executives.
The class this year has seen several players help their stock, while others have struggled and fallen down draft boards. Some players have also dealt with recent injuries and other factors that have prevented them from reaching their potential.
The draft is widely considered open at the top of the board, with several prospects in the conversation to be the first selection. Unlike last year, when Victor Wembanyama was the consensus No. 1 pick, there is no clear-cut choice this year.
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Prospects will continue to see their standing fluctuate over the remaining two-plus months of action on the court as scouts have more time to evaluate them. The sheer unknown atop the draft board should create plenty of storylines to follow over the remainder of the season.
The NBA announced on Wednesday that the draft will be expanded to a two-night format, with the first round set to take place on June 26 at the Barclays Center. The second round will be at ESPN’s Seaport District Studios in New York the following night.
Rookie Wire looked at the class and where the top prospects stand at this point of the season. The order was determined by the reverse order of the NBA standings as of Feb. 1.
Note: Player fit wasn’t necessarily taken into account with each pick. Pick protections and other notes courtesy of Tankathon.
Rookie Wire looked at the NBA through games played on Thursday and ranked each team from worst to first.
Teams around the NBA have begun the second halves of their schedules, as the season rapidly approaches the trade deadline and All-Star break next month.
The past week saw plenty of storylines unfold, from some surprising coaching changes to a trade involving the Miami Heat to a few historic performances. The dialogue further showed how entertaining the NBA can be on and off the court.
The action should only continue to heat up with less than two weeks remaining until the trade deadline on Feb. 8. Rumors are swirling around several players and teams, proving that it should once again be a busy acquisition period.
To make further sense of it all, Rookie Wire looked at the NBA and ranked each team from worst to first. We will return each week and provide our latest assessment of the best teams and those that are rising.
Welcome to Layup Lines, For the Win’s basketball newsletter. Subscribe here to get it delivered to your inbox every Monday, Wednesday and Friday. Have feedback for the Layup Lines Crew? Leave your questions, comments and concerns through this brief reader survey. Now, here’s Mike Sykes
Happy Friday, winners! Welcome back to Layup Lines. Thanks so much for joining me today. I hope you have a great weekend ahead of you.
I think we need to talk about the Knicks today, man. This team is trending in the right direction.
New York just beat up the Nuggets in a 122-84 route. Denver is a team with championship expectations. It’s essentially the same team that just won an NBA championship last season, give or take a few tweaks to the roster.
So, that begs the question, how close are the Knicks to actual contention? Is this team already a contender? If we take a look at the team’s statistical profile right now, the answer is a yes. At the very least, it’s extremely close.
First, the Knicks’ 117.6 offensive rating (9th overall) and 112.0 defensive rating (8th overall) are both good for top-10 marks in the league, according to NBA.com’s stats tool. The Knicks are one of five teams in the NBA ranking in the top 10 in both offensive and defensive ratings. The others are the Celtics, Thunder, 76ers, and Pelicans. Most people would consider at least three of those four teams legitimate contenders.
The team’s 5.5 total net rating ranks 5th in the league, which is good and usually signals a pretty good playoff team. The only teams ahead of the Knicks are the Celtics (+10.2), Thunder (+8.3), 76ers (+7.9) and Clippers (+5.7). Again, all of those teams are contenders. The Knicks should be in that conversation, too.
Do the Knicks have lots of room to grow? Certainly. New York is only 2-11 against the Celtics, Bucks and 76ers so far this season. Most of those games were played earlier in the year and this is a different team. But still, that’s why most would consider the Knicks a step behind the competition ahead of them in the East.
The OG Anunoby trade has changed things though. If you zoom in a bit more, since then the team’s net rating is a whopping +12.9 which is good for second in the league behind the Cavaliers at +16.7. The Knicks are 11-3 in that 14-game span.
There’s a lot of basketball left to be played. But New York is good. OG is the defensive wing the team has needed for quite some time. There’s someone who can guard folks like Jayson Tatum and Giannis Antetokounmpo now.
The games still have to be played. And the Knicks are the Knicks, so it’s understandable why people still don’t believe in this team. New York has failed in the playoffs for decades now.
But, man. This team feels a bit different. Whether it is or not will only be proven by time. But right now? Things are looking good in New York.
There are lots of familiar names on that list. You’ve seen rumors floating around about DeMar DeRozan, Dejounte Murray and more. But one name that really caught me off guard here was Alex Caruso.
It’s not the fact that he’s on the list. Rather, it’s the fact that the Bulls are asking for so much for him. The Bulls want multiple first-rounders, Bryan writes. Here’s more:
“Alex Caruso has tremendous value due to his elite defensive ability and clutch performances. We wrote about why last season and earlier this season, we outlined which contenders should try to make a move.
But the Bulls consider Caruso as “almost” untouchable, according to Chicago Sun-Times‘ Joe Cowley. Meanwhile, The Athletic’s Shams Charania has said that the team has “shut down” calls on the defensive ace.”
Sheesh, man. I get it. Alex Caruso is good. He’s almost shooting 50 percent from the floor and is shooting over 40 percent form deep. He’s putting up career-high scoring numbers this season.
But he’s still a 29-year-old 3-and-D guard without elite shot-creation ability. That’s a really good and useful player. Just probably not an untouchable one.
That’s a wrap, folks! Thanks so much for reading Layup Lines today! We appreciate you. Have a fantastic weekend. We’ll be back again on Monday! Til then, peace. We out.
The light on Candace Parker’s basketball career shouldn’t be dimmed to satisfy Knicks fans.
Part of what makes Candace Parker one of the most incredible WNBA talents ever is that she knows the game and has always been unapologetically herself. She shouldn’t have to change that for Knicks fans.
Parker’s comments led to her social media accounts being flooded by vitriol from Knicks fans, and it even got the attention of current Knicks shooting guard Josh Hart.
The backlash prompted Parker to clarify her comments on Wednesday.
The question was not can you win with a small player as your best player…. ?It's can you win a CHAMPIONSHIP with a small player as your best player? Everyone throwing me and tweeting me stats. You are missing the point. A.I. Was my absolute favorite player…. Despite avg 35.6…
But here’s the thing: Like Hammon, Parker shouldn’t have to jump through hoops to validate her opinion simply because Knicks fans disagree. She’s entitled to her opinion just like they are entitled to theirs – even if that opinion is incorrect.
What she’s not entitled to is having her resume and her basketball knowledge questioned. The disrespect is mystifying and incredibly dismissive. If the energy is not the same for other media personalities when they comment on basketball or Jalen Brunson, this is selective outrage, and fans should be ashamed.
th straight win, his first ever 
