On Thursday, the two teams faced each other again, this time at Crypto.com Arena in the City of Angels, as Dončić played the hero in the Lakers’ 113-109 overtime win over the Knicks.
Down by double digits in the fourth quarter, the Lakers completed the comeback behind some Dončić and LeBron James magic to force OT.
While Los Angeles jumped out to an early lead in the extra period, Knicks All-Star point guard Jalen Brunson put his team on his back, becoming the centerpiece of the team’s stingy offense.
However, with just over a minute left, Brunson drove to the basket and was fouled by Lakers guard Austin Reaves. The 28-year-old remained on the ground, writhing in pain as replays showed he twisted his ankle on the play.
Brunson stayed in the game to shoot the ensuing free throws but slowly limped to the locker room afterward and would not return. He scored all eight of the Knicks’ points in overtime up to that point, finishing with 39 points and 10 assists.
After Brunson’s departure, the Lakers would hit six free throws – with James hitting four in the final 40 seconds – to secure the team’s eighth straight victory and improve their record to 40-21 on the season.
Dončić finished with 32 points, 12 assists, seven rebounds, and four steals, while James contributed 31 points, 12 rebounds, and eight assists.
The Slovenian star told the TNT broadcast after the game that it took “a lot” to take down the Knicks.
“They’re a great team,” Dončić said. “They have great players, and it’s a tough win. Now, we got eight in a row, and every game is a battle for us.”
The loss was the Knicks’ second straight as they fall to 40-22 on the season. New York will likely rue its performance on the night as it had multiple chances to win the showdown between two of the better teams in the league.
The Knicks controlled the game, behind timely offense and defense. However, a 10-1 Lakers run in the fourth led to the brakes falling off completely.
After Los Angeles took the lead for the first time since the second quarter, Brunson did what he did all season: thrive in the clutch.
The two-time All-Star tied the game back up with an and-1 with 46 seconds to go in regulation.
After a defensive stop, the Knicks had a golden chance to escape with a victory but forward Josh Hart failed to get a would-be game-winner off before time expired.
New York head coach Tom Thibodeau had no update on Brunson’s injury but was complimentary of his team’s effort, calling it a “hard-fought game.”
“Came down to the stretch,” Thibodeau told reporters. “Lot of tough plays that – we couldn’t get to a loose ball, things like that. Often, that’s the difference. Overall, I thought the first three-and-a-half quarters were very, very good. So, we have to close out better.”
The Knicks will play the second half of a back-to-back on Friday as they visit the Intuit Dome to take on the Los Angeles Clippers. The Lakers begin a four-game road trip in Boston as they take on their long-time rival Celtics on Saturday night.
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