The Lakers (25-25), coming off a win in Boston despite the absences of LeBron James and Anthony Davis, travel to New York (32-17) to face the NBA’s hottest club, the Knicks, who have won nine straight games. The game kicks off at 5:30 p.m. PT on ABC.
Here are three things to know before the matchup:
FRONT LINE INJURIES
The Lakers defeated a totally healthy Celtics squad that had only lost twice in Boston despite the aforementioned LeBron and AD, but they also lost their best player of the first half, Jarred Vanderbilt, to a foot injury shortly before halftime. Vando scored 10 points, including a pair of three-pointers, seven rebounds, three steals, and two assists in 16 minutes for a game-high +17 before injuring his foot.
Vanderbilt limped back to the locker room for examinations, and while the initial X-Ray was negative, his future health is uncertain pending additional evaluation.
What’s even more frustrating for Vanderbilt and the Lakers is that he’d really found his game after missing the first month and change of the season due to left heel bursitis. Even when he returned, on Dec. 2, he wasn’t fully healthy, and he averaged just 2.6 points, 4.1 boards and 0.7 steals in 17.8 minutes. Then in January, his production tacked up, to the point where he scored in double figures in five of the last seven games, and he totaled 15 steals in the final seven games of the month.
Vanderbilt also figured out how to play when teams didn’t respect him as a shooter in the corner, picking the right times to cut to the basket on dives that typically resulted in layups, dunks or free throws.
Vanderbilt could have been an ideal candidate to slide into the starting lineup, and provide defensive protection on the perimeter for the guards, and an energy boost for the bigs, but we’ll have to wait and see when he’s able to return.
Meanwhile, Darvin Ham noted prior to Thursday’s game that both LeBron and AD had been carrying injuries that caused them to miss the Boston contest. The hope is that both are able to return to the court, and rejoin the group that pulled off the impressive victory on Thursday.
“Physically, I’ve been better but I’ve been a lot worse, but hoping to be able to go out and contribute tonight, help our team win a ball game,” said LeBron after Saturday morning’s shootaround. “Very proud of our efforts in Boston. Guys stepped up and played exceptional basketball. It was beautiful to see.”
BEATING BOSTON
So how did they do it? The quick explanation is that the Lakers played tougher and more connected than the Celtics.
Austin Reaves and D’Angelo Russell supplied perimeter talent, with Reaves hitting seven three-pointers on route to his season-high 32 points and Russell dishing out 14 assists to go along with four of his own. Vanderbilt was bolstered by Jaxson Hayes, who scored a season-high 16 points, 10 rebounds, and three steals after being out of the rotation. Rui Hachimura scored 10 of his 15 points in the fourth quarter and grabbed eight rebounds, while Max Christie drove relentlessly to the basket, scoring nine points in 23 minutes.
The Lakers committed only seven turnovers, none in the fourth quarter, while forcing 15 Celtics turnovers, including 11 direct thefts. L.A. attacked the basket and went to the foul line 26 times, but only committed eight personal fouls to Boston’s 19, giving them a +12 at the line. L.A. did not shoot especially well overall, converting only 19 of 58 2-point field goals, but they were quite effective from three, converting 19 of 36.
They’ll need that kind of collective effort to defeat the NBA’s hottest team on Saturday.
KNICKS STREAKING
Thanks in part to an NBA-best 9-game winning streak, the Knicks appear to be on track to reach 50 victories for the first time since 2012-13, when Carmelo Anthony averaged 28.7 points per game and led them to a 54-28 record. This season’s group has a better chance of progressing than Melo’s club, which was eliminated in the second round of the playoffs, owing in part to a brilliant transaction that landed them OG Anunoby and Precious Achiuwa in return for Immanuel Quickley and RJ Barrett.
Anunoby, one of the top individual defensive players in the NBA, has also adjusted well offensively, shooting 39.1% from three and 51.6% overall for 15.6 points. He need the ball less than Barrett, which goes well with higher Players like Jalen Brunson and Julius Randle have enhanced New York’s offensive flow. Anunoby, who has missed the past three games due to an elbow ailment, is labeled as “questionable” for the game against the Lakers.
Randle, meanwhile, recently had a right shoulder injury, but Achiuwa has stepped in wonderfully, scoring a 12-point, 16-board double-double against Indiana on Thursday and an 18-point, 5-board, 2-block performance against Utah on Tuesday.
Brunson, however, has held the key to everything. The player who many believe should start the All-Star game was voted as a reserve this week, following a month in which he averaged 28.9 points, 7.7 assists, and 3.6 rebounds to continue an impressive season that included scoring at least 30 points in eight of the previous ten games.
In January, Brunson topped all NBA players with an amazing +256, with Anunoby coming in second at +252.
“Jalen is phenomenal,” LeBron stated. “I’m quite thrilled for him and proud of him. First-time All-Star, witnessing his reaction after the previous game, I think that’s just extremely great, super dope. “Really humble kid; I played against (his father) Rick as well. He’s a super down-to-earth, great guy, and he’s raised an incredible son.”
LeBron is ready for the challenge and thrilled to play at Madison Square Garden.
“Of course, it’s the basketball mecca, one of the most prominent stadiums to play in throughout sports history. Having the opportunity to grace that floor throughout my career has always been a pleasure.
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