The Los Angeles Lakers (17-29) have also won their second consecutive home game. No defence is played against the New York Knicks (21-26) for a long time, but Luke Walton’s team will draw once again in the fourth quarter and finally win 127:107.
The failures of Lonzo Ball and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope severely weakened the Lakers’ guard rotation. Coach Luke Walton was pleased to find out that his Bigs delivered. Brook Lopez (3 threesomes in the first quarter) and Julius Randle scored the hosts’ first 19 points. It was Randle who also had Porzingis’ second foul early on. Nevertheless, it was a balanced affair because the bends in the offense seemed a little more balanced.
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However, the Bank of Knicks had some serious defensive problems, which Kyle Kuzma and Alex Caruso also revealed with considerable pick’ n’ roll, and Jordan Clarkson was also in good shape after his 33-point gala. The result was a shootout with an open sight, in which no team was able to stop the other team. The Knicks sunk 59 percent of their throws, but were trailing due to some unnecessary turnovers.
This changed quickly, however, as the guests came from the cabin on fire. The Knicks drowned five threesomes in series and silenced the Staples Center. It took almost six minutes before the guests put another throw on the ring (7/7 FG). However, as there was no defensive action at all, no team was able to break away. Again and again there were small runs, the Lakers used one of them to the end of the quarter and suddenly led again with 8 points.
After that the Lakers played more calmly and more concentrated in the defense. Guests didn’t come in anymore, L. A. increased the lead to 17 points and could even record a blowout. This was mainly due to Clarkson (29) and Randle (27,12 rebounds), who shouldered the lion’s share in scoring. Kyle Kuzma contributed 15 points. Larry Nance Jr. (13) supplied numerous Hustle Plays. Porzingis, Hardaway and Micheal Beasley each scored 17 points in the Knicks. Enes Kanter (12,14 Rebounds) played a double-double.
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Julius Randle. The Glue Guy of the Lakers. He started with some Dunks and Hustle Play really strong and was also an important factor at the beginning of the fourth quarter. When he grabbed a rebound, Randle kept trying to make tempo and made the bends look pretty damn bad in transition a few times. Also strong: Clarkson and his hot shooting.
Kristaps Porzingis. Took himself out in the first half with some unnecessary fouls. After the break with a strong phase of four or five minutes, but that was it. The Latvian seemed annoyed and discussed a lot with the Refs. The score of 7/13 from the field is presentable, but in the fourth quarter he took too little responsibility in the attack. It was only a meager 2 points in the last 12 minutes (1/4 FG).
Coach Walton started the second half with Alex Caruso after he had played a really strong first half. Defensively his limitations were clear to see, but in the attack it was more than respectable. He made the best decisions at the Lakers in Pick’ n’ Rolls and earned his minutes. At the Knicks Hornacek tried it at the beginning of the second quarter with two point guards. So Trey Burke got a few minutes next to Ntilikina and could sink at least two jumpers.