The New York Knicks have essentially erased all the bad from January, as they have found their stride at the right time. They passed a big test on Sunday against a very good Los Angeles Lakers team, taking them down 112-100 to win their sixth consecutive game and move back into the second seed of the Eastern Conference.
The Knicks got big games out of their role players
Rather than Jalen Brunson doing all the work, the Knicks got big games from their role players that helped propel them to a win. The unsung heroes of the night were OG Anunoby, Landry Shamet, and Josh Hart.
Anunoby had a tremendous performance with 25 points, eight rebounds, and three steals. It is his third straight game with 24 or more points, and he has been dialed in on both ends of the floor during this winning streak.
Shamet continued his hot shooting since returning from injury, cashing in 23 points and knocking down six threes on 10 attempts. His return has been such a welcome sight for New York, and his impact this season has been tremendous off the bench.
Hart was efficient on offense with 20 points on 8-for-11 shooting from the floor and 3-for-4 from three. His return has also been welcome, as his all-around impact along with his energy has uplifted the spirits of this group.
The Knicks’ defense was incredible once again
The Knicks’ defense has been completely different over the course of this winning streak, and they once again put on a phenomenal display of effort and tenacity on that end of the floor.
They held the Lakers to just 100 points, the fifth time in the last six games that they have held their opponents to 100 points or fewer. In that same span, they have held them to under 100 points four times.
The Lakers shot just 28% from beyond the arc, and shut down their offense in the second half despite Luka Doncic’s 30-point night. In the first quarter, New York struggled to defend the pick-and-roll, as Deandre Ayton had nine first quarter points.
However, they did a great job at cutting that off, as Ayton only scored four points in the remaining three quarters combined. Stefan Bondy of the New York Post noted a schematical change to their defensive strategy, which has been the catalyst behind their recent stretch.
“I think it’s better for us the way we’re doing it now,” Mikal Bridges said, via Bondy. “I think it was tougher for us the way we used to do it.”
Jalen Brunson had a woeful shooting night
Brunson didn’t have the best scoring performance against the Lakers, as they forced him to make the other guys pay. He only scored 12 points and shot just 4-for-15 from the field, struggling to score for most of the night.
However, he did grab seven rebounds and dished 13 assists, making the right plays with the ball and putting in great effort on defense. That kind of effort is why he was named the Captain, because he can impact winning even on nights he isn’t shooting the ball well.
Brunson only turned the ball over one time against the Lakers, and his decision making is a key reason why the offense continued to hum despite his bad shooting.
Overview
The Knicks got themselves a much-needed victory, as they have begun to look like the title contender they resembled at the start of the season. They’ll look to make it seven straight on Tuesday against the Washington Wizards.