New York Knicks fall to the Los Angeles Lakers 128-112: Gutpunch

The New York Knicks’ old habits crept up as they lost to the Los Angeles Lakers 128-112. Their three-point defense was a disaster, and pick-and-roll defense wasn’t much better.

The Knicks kept things close for most of three quarters. Spirited efforts from Josh Hart and OG Anunoby picked things up while the usual stars struggled. But an injury to Anunoby took the air out of Madison Square Garden and left LeBron James with a runway for the fourth quarter.

The back-and-forth battle became a one-man show in the fourth. LeBron dunked and dimed his way to a Lakers blowout, and the Knicks barely showed resistance.

The loss is a gut check after New York powered through its previous five opponents. Let’s look at what went wrong.