The Los Angeles Lakers gathered a 10-point deficit in the fourth quarter to survive the New York Knicks, 113-109, in overtime in what was undoubtedly one of the best games of the season.
Luka Dončić and LeBron James combined to display 63 points, 20 assists and 19 rebounds. Jalen Brunson, who had to leave the game in overtime with Which seemed to be an important ankle injuryWas brilliant for the Knicks with 39 points and 10 assists, including a game of 3 categorical points to equalize the match in the last minute of the regulations.
These two teams will be heard in a major way in the playoffs, but it is the Lakers, winners of eight consecutive and 10-2 since the Dončić trade, who are starting to resemble a legitimate candidate.
For what? Well, let’s not be too complicated with that. They have Luka and LeBron. The strength with which these two play it prevails that Dončić has not turned well since his arrival in Los Angeles; In fact, he has not yet pulled well Thursday at 9 years old for 23 and 4 for 12 of 3 on the way to his 32 points and 12 assists.
But that hardly does not matter. It is the constant pressure that they both exert on the defenses to double the ball and leave an open man or be intimidated in the painting for the finishes, the faults or the 3 kicks which can, and Thursday, bring the Lakers to the victory even when the shots did not enter.
This, and the elite defense that the Lakers have been playing for some time now.
The Lakers made only 33% of their 3 Thursday (14 for 42). Did not matter. There is a force that comes with two of the best players on the planet that keeps you in control even when you are not, if it makes sense; The Warriors are currently enjoying it with the addition of Jimmy Butler. The Nets dropped them by 20 on Thursday and there was never any doubt that they would end up taking over.
The same goes for Lakers, who now have the luxury of distributing a creative burden in smaller quantities. Dončić made two steps in the first four minutes and 13 points in the first quarter passed early. LeBron took control late, finishing with 31 points, 12 rebounds and eight assists.
With less than two minutes to play in the regulations, James responded to Brunson’s hard bucket with a 3 right to equalize the match.
Thirty seconds later, LeBron went into Freight-Train mode, sucking the whole defense before kicking Gabe Vincent for a 3 corner to give the Lakers a three-point lead.
Once the overtime started, it was Luka’s turn with five fast and fully self-created points to start things.
After the Knicks reduced their heads to one, LeBron attracts the attention of two defenders and slips a short-short pocket pass to Jaxson Hayes, who immediately swings him in the area for a Reaves 3 who put the Lakers back.
This is the kind of guaranteed quality shooting creation that separates the right teams from the big ones, and it is starting to seem that the Lakers could be one of these. This is what Shai Gilgeous -Aalexander provides for OKC, what Nikola Jokić gives to Denver, which Butler brought to Golden State in addition to Stephen Curry: this guaranteed individual force of force – whether in large, finishing or finding – which cannot be refused, even as an approximate shooting, for so long. It’s just too relentless.
Having a guy who provides is a luxury. Lakers have two. I was skeptical about the defense on the ball without Anthony Davis supported everyone, but the Lakers are simply too difficult to find a lot of defects at the moment. I am firmly in the camp that we have to talk about it as perhaps the largest obstacle in the West for Oklahoma City, if not the conference favorite, and a legitimate threat to win everything.
