Dončić Leads Lakers Past Knicks
Luka Dončić dropped 35 points and 8 rebounds to lead the Lakers to a 110-97 victory over the Knicks, with LeBron James scratched late due to a left elbow injury. Austin Reaves added 25 points in the win. The Knicks also fell to the Clippers 107-102 in a back-to-back, dropping their record to 41-24.
LeBron James was a late scratch due to a left elbow contusion suffered against the Denver Nuggets on Thursday, an injury he described as feeling like a "super more intense" version of hitting his funny bone. He is currently listed as day-to-day. This marked the second consecutive win for the Lakers without James, who also sat out Friday's 128-117 victory over the Indiana Pacers. The team has found surprising success when the 41-year-old doesn't play, particularly with the duo of Dončić and Reaves on the court. The win was significant for the Lakers (39-25) as it was only their second victory since early November against a team with a winning percentage of .600 or better, improving their record in such games to 5-12. The victory moved them into fifth place in the Western Conference standings. For the Knicks, the loss was a disappointing start to a Southern California back-to-back. Jalen Brunson, who finished with 24 points and 7 assists, also committed seven turnovers. The team as a whole committed 18 turnovers, a key factor in the loss. Karl-Anthony Towns was a bright spot for New York, recording his NBA-leading 45th double-double with 25 points and 16 rebounds. It was his sixth consecutive game with at least 12 points and 12 rebounds. The Knicks' defense, typically a strength, allowed the Lakers to go on a 17-4 scoring run in the third quarter, which proved to be decisive. New York was held under 100 points for only the seventh time this season and had their fourth-worst three-point shooting night, making just 8 of 34 attempts.
