Category: Basketball

There have been good weeks and bad weeks for the Lakers this season.

Ahead of Friday's game against the Memphis Grizzlies, they were trending downward after losing four of their last five games.

The Memphis game turned into a microcosm of that trend, with the Lakers building leads through effort and intensity only to see them crumble behind less-inspired play.

In the end, standout performances from Luka Doncic and LeBron James helped the Lakers surge late and hold on for a 128-121 win at Crypto.com Arena.

Read more:Lakers takeaways: Pistons dominate paint as Lakers close out a sub-.500 December

Doncic and James made sure the 15-point lead the Lakers held before it dissolved by the end of the third quarter wasn't completely achieved in vain. Doncic made 17 of 20 free throws in scoring 34 points with eight assists and six rebounds, and James had 31 points, nine rebounds and six assists.

They got help from Jake LaRavia, who scored 21 points on eight-for-12 shooting in addition to nine rebounds and stellar defense. Marcus Smart had 13 points, eight rebounds and seven assists, and Jaxson Hayes scored 12 points off the bench.

The Lakers improved to an NBA-best 11-0 when within five or fewer points of their opponent heading into the final five minutes.

“I think we have a lot of people that closed the game, especially (me), when LeBron, he took over today,” Doncic said. “(Jarred Vanderbilt) hit a big shot. Jake hit a big shot. Jaxson had a big dunk. So, it's just everybody.”

It was a group effort that helped the Lakers seal the win in the fourth quarter. It also marked the first time since March that Doncic and James scored at least 30 points in the same game.

“It was just playing and playing in rhythm,” James said. “We’re trying to find ways that we can be productive. Obviously, Luka did a great job of getting to the free-throw line. ... He made a step-back three, a big-time shot there.

"Myself, just trying to sprinkle in a little bit here, a little bit there. Just trying to be consistent and be super efficient with my play. So we worked well off each other today and we led the group.”

The Lakers (21-11) went down 110-109 in the fourth quarter before going on a 12-2 run to take the lead for good.

The teams will meet again here Sunday night.

“We made some big-time plays offensively and we were sharing the ball, and guys made some big-time shots,” James said. “Vando’s three, Jake’s three on the other side of their bench at the end of the shot clock, Jax had a big-time dunk down the middle. So, those are key moments. And then defensively, we were able to get a couple shots, get a couple rebounds. That allowed us to kind of start pushing the lead up.”

Vincent update

Gabe Vincent (lumbar back strain) missed his seventh straight game, but Redick said the team hopes he can practice Saturday and that if he does, it will “be modified.”

Redick said Vincent will not play Sunday against the Grizzlies, but the hope is that he can play either at New Orleans on Tuesday or at San Antonio on Wednesday.

"We've got to get him exposure to live play, and with the travel day on Monday, that's gonna be tough," Redick said.

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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.

The Knicks have now learned the hard way that both superb and pitiful shooting displays from three-point range can be found in losing streaks.

Just two days after draining a monstrous 22 threes in a New Year's Eve road loss to the Spurs, New York posed no threat from beyond the arc, missing a ghastly 33-of-42 shots from deep in a flat 111-99 home loss to the Hawks.

While the Knicks played shorthanded, ultimately lacking the size and scoring threats to keep pace with Atlanta, the rough performance at Madison Square Garden couldn't have been anticipated. 

They shot a season-worst 21 percent from three, and were held below 100 points for the first time.

To make matters worse, the Knicks struggled once again to defend with ample physicality and energy. They allowed the Hawks to score 58 points inside the paint, and by committing 15 total turnovers, another 19 points were tacked on in transition.

"If the shot's not falling, where else are we going to hang our hat? It has to be on the defensive end of the floor," Knicks head coach Mike Brown said. "We didn't get it done throughout most of the game tonight... I thought we had some good looks that we normally knock down with the guys that are taking them, but you can't take away from what Atlanta did."

The absences of Karl-Anthony Towns (illness), Josh Hart (ankle), and Mitchell Robinson (ankle) on Friday placed pressure on Jalen Brunson to pull more weight than usual. And while the Knicks' captain embraced the challenge, scoring a game-high 24 points, he contributed to the three-point swoon, making just one on eight attempts.

"We just didn't have it tonight. I know that's a terrible, lame-ass excuse, but we let shot-making affect our overall gameplay," said Brunson, named Eastern Conference Player of the Month for December. "That includes our pace, sense of urgency, everything. Just wasn't our solid basketball today."

Mikal Bridges and OG Anunoby were fruitless from deep, too, finishing a combined 4 for 17. Miles McBride, thrust into the starting lineup, made a pair of quick first-quarter threes but then missed eight of nine from there.

"There's no excuse, we've just got to be better," Bridges said. "It is what it is, you've got to learn from it and get ready for tomorrow. Obviously we're missing three key guys, but we've got everybody else in this locker room to come in and step up."

The Knicks' low energy through three quarters of action prompted boos from fans, and Brown acknowledged their noise and frustrations. They've now dropped back-to-back games for the first time since losing three straight in late October.

The Knicks will be shorthanded a bit longer. 

The team announced following Friday's disappointing loss to the Atlanta Hawks that Josh Hart has begun doing some light court work, and he will be reevaluated in one week. 

Hart, of course, has missed the last four games due to a sprained ankle suffered during the fourth quarter of the Christmas Day victory over the Cleveland Cavaliers.

He did not travel with the team during their recent road trip and was still being evaluated. 

Though Hart will be out a bit longer, it's a good sign that he's able to get back on the court in some capacity. 

The veteran small forward was enjoying his best stretch of the season prior to the injury, averaging 14.6 points, 9.8 rebounds, and 5.8 assists over his last 13 games. 

New York has received nice boosts in his absence, but they could certainly use his high-energy all-around play. 

The return home from a brutal New Year's Eve loss and the welcomed calendar flip to 2026 didn't solve recent struggles for the Knicks, as they struggled mightily to score and defend in a frustrating 111-99 loss to the Hawks on Friday night at Madison Square Garden.

Here are the takeaways...

-- As if the Knicks' depth needed to be tested further -- Josh Hart and Mitchell Robinson have missed the last four and three games, respectively, due to injury -- they entered Friday night with yet another impact player unavailable. Karl-Anthony Towns, initially listed as questionable with an illness, was downgraded to out prior to tip-off. The absence of Towns pushed Miles McBride into the starting five for a 10th time this season, and with Robinson also sidelined, Ariel Hukporti received his fourth start. The Knicks have now produced 10 different starting lineups over 34 games.

-- McBride quickly took advantage of his elevated role, draining a pair of threes that helped the Knicks climb out to an early 11-2 lead. While all five Knicks starters added points within the first four minutes of play, the Hawks gradually collected themselves, producing a sudden 14-3 run that knotted the score at 16-16 by the 7:33 mark. From there, both teams attacked with steady ball movement for lead changes, but an uptick in scoring from the Hawks placed them ahead by three, 33-30, after 12 minutes.

-- The Hawks opened the second quarter with six quick points that prompted the Knicks to burn a timeout, trailing by nine. After the break in action, Jordan Clarkson made a three to cut the Knicks' deficit back down to six, but their hole reached double digits with 2:40 left in the half, and then an imposing 15 with 1:16 to go. The combination of sluggish offense and weak defense in the paint made The Garden crowd restless. At the break, the Knicks trailed, 60-47, shooting just 5 of 24 from three with Jalen Brunson as the leading scorer (11). Not up to snuff, considering the team made a whopping 22 shots from beyond the arc in Wednesday's loss to the Spurs. Overall, the Knicks lacked a sense of urgency on both ends of the floor.

-- The deficit ballooned to 19 after just 90 seconds of third-quarter play, prompting the Knicks to call a timeout with some desperation for a spark. Shrewdly, the Hawks maintained control by directing all attention and physicality toward Brunson, the shorthanded Knicks' lone catalyst. By the 4:06 mark, the Knicks trailed by a season-worst 24 points, and efforts from Mikal Bridges and OG Anunoby with the ball were subpar -- they combined for 18 points on 5 of 17 shooting after three quarters. A smaller Knicks defense, struggling to win 50-50 balls, also had no answer for Hawks star Jalen Johnson, who needed just 28 minutes of court time to log a triple-double.

-- Better late than never, Bridges and Anunoby provided some much-needed energy early in the fourth quarter, orchestrating an 11-0 run that cut the Knicks' deficit from 24 to 13 with 8:54 left and forced a Hawks timeout. But the momentum shift was short-lived, as two threes from Luke Kennard on consecutive possessions bumped the margin back to 19. The Hawks continued to contest three attempts from the Knicks, with tremendous success. The trio of Brunson, Bridges, and Anunoby was held to a measly 5 of 27 shooting from deep -- live and die by the three, under Mike Brown's watch. 

-- Brunson tried his best to withstand contact as the aggressor and facilitator, but his 24 points and five assists weren't nearly enough, based on how little his teammates offered and how much the Hawks caused fits. To the Knicks' credit, they didn't wave the white flag amid Brunson's frustrations -- they kept chipping away and cut their deficit to single digits, 108-99, with 1:29 remaining. If only the energy and efficiency levels were higher earlier. The Knicks had no choice but to foul the Hawks in the closing minute, wiping out the slimmest chance of a miraculous comeback.

-- While the Knicks anticipated more challenges with Towns, Hart, and Robinson in street clothes, one of the team's biggest villains wasn't even suited up to pose as a threat. Hawks star Trae Young, dealing with a quad injury, cheered from the bench all night, and his absence made the Knicks' woes far more bewildering. Overall, the team shot 39 percent from the floor and a season-low 20 percent (9 of 44) from three. Bridges and Anunoby produced a hollow 18 points and 19 points apiece, and a full seven-man bench rotation contributed only 19 points. Hukporti couldn't be criticized for his effort -- he logged season-high marks in rebounds (17), blocks (4), and minutes (28).

Game MVP: Jalen Johnson

The Garden crowd was disappointed to see a different scorer named Jalen take command. The fifth-year forward delivered a triple-double of 18 points, 11 assists, and 10 rebounds across 38 minutes. Onyeka Okongwu and Nickeil Alexander-Walker also contributed 23 points apiece.

Highlights

Mikal 🤝 Ariel pic.twitter.com/sQa3XgAQP5

— Knicks Videos (@sny_knicks) January 3, 2026

Jalen Brunson hits the three! pic.twitter.com/c2WRQt7MtJ

— Knicks Videos (@sny_knicks) January 3, 2026

OG steal and score 😤 pic.twitter.com/E27wCx0KPb

— Knicks Videos (@sny_knicks) January 3, 2026

Up next

The Knicks (23-11) will wrap up their weekend at The Garden on Saturday night, with a matchup against the division-rival 76ers (7:30 tip-off).