The first defeat of the Knicks in six games could prove doubly expensive.
LeBron James recorded a triple-double on Saturday evening in what could potentially be his last career match at Madison Square Garden, and the Knicks could not overcome an injury to the two-way OG Anunoby attacker while their sequence Five consecutive victories ended in order. With a defeat of 128-112 against Lakers.
“We abandoned 130 points, it was disappointing,” said Josh Hart. “We were not enough connected in defense. We stagnate offensively. In this sequence of victories, our defense created a large part of our attack. … But I don’t think we did that today.
The defeat of the Knicks 128-112 against the Lakers on February 1, 2025. Jason Szenes for New York Post
The defeat was exacerbated by Anunoby suffering from a contactless injury and boxing in the locker room with what the knicks then qualified as a right foot after falling to a knee by receiving a pass on the perimeter 1:22 in the third quarter.
Tom Thibodeau said that the x-rays had returned negative, but the knicks had trouble while Anunoby missed a lot of time last season with an elbow problem and again in the playoffs when he injured the hamstrings .
“Obviously, pray for better, but I know as much as you do right now,” said Jalen Brunson. “Obviously, it is huge for our team. It is always difficult to see something like that.
James, 40, recorded his 122nd triple-double in career with 33 points, 12 assists and 11 rebounds for Lakers, who would have made a superproduction exchange to the import star Luka Doncic in an agreement sending the center Anthony Davis – Who did not do ” T play on Saturday evening – and a first round choice in Dallas.
The Lakers pulled 47.5% (19 for 40) at 3 points, and LeBron’s son, Rookie Bronny James, even made his MSG debut and scored late in the match after the crowd sang his name.
The third quarter of the defeat of the Knicks against the Lakers. Knicks by the fire / x
“It’s incredible. He is about to be 41 years old, and I think that the game should not hold these guys for granted, “said Hart about LeBron. “Obviously, he talks about the end, Steph (Curry), KD (Kevin Durant), all these older statesmen, but they all play at a high level as late in their careers. It simply talks about their work ethics, and the game and the fans should not take them for granted. »»
Hart collected 26 points, 13 rebounds and 11 against the team that drafted him in 2017 to cut his seventh triple-double of the season.
But the best scorers Brunson (17 points) and Karl-Anthony Towns (11) combined to shoot 10 for 30 from the ground for the Knicks (32-17).
The James teams have now posted a 24-9 file in 33 career games in the regular season in the NBA 22-year career.
He also played in an eliminatory series against Knicks in 2012 with The Heat.
After receiving a respectful ovation during pre-match warm-ups, the top scorer of all time in the NBA immediately arrived at the rim and scored the first points of the match. James finished the period with 13 points, and the Lakers took an advantage of 59-54 at halftime.
After Anunoby’s departure at the start of the third, the Lakers pushed their nine cushion on three free throws by Austin Reaves (27 points).
Hart recorded his 10th assist with a rebound pass in Achiuwa for a dunk and buried a 30 feet in the buzzer to pull the Knicks within 91-89 in the last period.
But the Lakers opened the fourth on a push of 13-4, and the second 3 points in the quarter of Gabe Vincent gave them an advantage of 109-97 with 8:10 to play.
Hart Dunk’s transition after a flight reduced the seven deficit just after the median point, but James sank another 3 -point pointer to bring the two -digit Lakers’ advance.
The Knicks had previously published strong victories on Kings, Grizzlies and Nuggets, the Rockets arriving on Monday.
The strength of the Knicks calendar is the highest in the Eastern Conference with a percentage of combined victories of 0.526 opponents in the last 34 games, and equaled the fourth plus in the league, according to Tankathon.
“We played well, so we are not going to let this defeat overturn to switch,” said Hart. “We just have to make sure that we are gathering and that we are ready for Houston.”
