NBA LIVE! New York Knicks vs Los Angeles Lakers August 12, 2025 | 2025 NBA Season Live 2K
[Music] Heat up here. go one-on-one, but I think the key is to keep their teammates involved playing unselfish basketball. And now the Los Angeles starters. They’ve got Rui Achimura. Luca Donic is out there with Austin Reeves. Then it’s DeAndre Aton. And it’s James in at the power forward position. Now here’s Towns for three. Bridges and Aiden pulls it down. Donic against Brunson. Donic outside, kept alive and Aiden gets it to go. Not afraid to throw his big body around. Aiden good at keeping plays going. Gives us a chance to catch up with Alli Leforce. Tom Tibido gave me a few minutes to catch up with him and I asked about LeBron James and how his team plans to stop him. He said I told our guys that we can’t give him any lanes to the rim because when that happens everything else in this game opens up. We need to clog every avenue to the basket. Guys, let’s see if they’re able to execute the strategy. Thanks for that all able to keep his coolen doesn’t let the clock force his shot passes to Aimura. Brunson against Donic. Aton screen on Brunson inside. Oh, the block shot. Grabs it out of the air. Anobi against Donic. Anobi passes to Bridges. Outside Brunson. Screen by Robinson. three-pointer and it’s Brunson with the three. Brunson’s got five now. You know, some threes look better than others and Brunson’s lefty stroke from three is a beautiful thing. Donic finds Aimura and around two minutes played here in the first quarter. Reeves the pass to Aimura. Donic with it. Four on the clock. fires the three and it’s New York with the rebound. Oh, he really wanted that triple even though he missed. I really like the competitiveness I’ve seen. Towns outside, pulls it from the top of the key. Here’s Robinson and he goes in for the dunk. And this kind of sick slam is just one of the reasons this team is in charge of this game right now. You know, there’s an edge the way they played and a confidence they’re not afraid to show. Here’s Donuch. And so JJ Reic calls for the timeout. He’s going to talk it over with his guys. Things just aren’t going their way. He clearly wants to talk it over. Good timeout if you ask me. They have the momentum and coach wants to get it to go. And here’s Bridges. He’ll bring it up for New York. and Reeves pulls it down. Lakers trail by five. Well, Grant, one thing about this Knicks team, they have a clear identity. Yeah, they have the mentality of their city, New York City, playing the game with professional and in yourface attitude. And of course, these Knicks leave it all out on the floor. And here we go. The Knicks in transition. And the basket by Bridges. Just nobody stopping Bridges from finishing the break. He’s just too much. Just under 3 and 1/2 minutes elapsed here in the first quarter. Boy, they need something to go to regain some confidence. No question. Way too many empty possessions for them. And here we go. The Knicks in transition and that one’s good. Brunson. Brunson’s got seven points in the game. And they’ve made themselves easy pickings. Sloppy ball control creates an easily converted turnover. James a screen on Brunson releases. Kic with the bucket. Got to fight harder to get over those screens. Yeah, as soon as these guys build contact, they are just disappearing like they’re not even there. You got to show some fire and keep defending. Now here’s Brunson. Seven points in the game. It’s Robinson high post down to five on the shot clock and a foul called on the way up. So he’ll take two from the free throw line. First personal foul. Well, I don’t think anyone predicted that Jaylen Brunson would become the player he is today, Grant. Yeah, that’s for sure, BA. Or he definitely wouldn’t have been a second round pick. He’s a hard worker, a competitor, and an elite offensive player. That free throw no good. rebound. [Music] Good on the second one. Lakers trail by eight. Now here’s Donic. James a screen on Brunson. Donic feeling it out a bit. Three-pointer. It’s hauled in by Robinson. Robinson’s got four rebounds now. Bridges on the attack. Tips it. Great positioning on the putback. Brunson’s got 10 points in the game. They shown so much energy right from the start, particularly on the offensive end. They came out swinging, really setting the tone on offense, and the opposition has not been able to respond. Now, here’s Reeves. He’s scoreless. [Applause] Always a nice way to start. Makes his first one. I know what they say, defense wins championships, but you need some bucket givers, too. Now, outside Robinson. James against Towns [Applause] tries again. The kick out to Brunson. Jacks up a three and Aiden pulls it down. That is not a guy you want to allow. Open looks for range. Lucky for the defense. He just couldn’t get it to go. Aiden a screen on Bridges. Reeves against Bridges. Donic outside the put back. No luck on that one. He hasn’t been able to find his touch this quarter. Yeah, straight up, guys. Like these ice like freezing. What’s colder than cold, but you don’t have to shoot it, my guy. It’s okay to pass the ball. And we’ve got a timeout cold. [Applause] Here’s Reeves. They’ve been having major problems offensively. Definitely in a bit of a dry spell. [Applause] Pass to Aimura. [Applause] Back to Reeves. And that one goes out of bounds. Last touch by Reeves. And the fans love seeing incredible moments on defense like that block. Showing no signs of giving up this lead. That block sent shock waves into the opposition sails. Knicks leading by 11 outside Anobi. [Music] Here’s Robinson. He’s covered by Aiden. [Music] He had an obvious screen on James. And the officials will call the illegal screen here. The screener was leaning a bit right there. His feet may not have been planted. Pretty obvious call by the officials. Look, guys get away with this all the time, but on this occasion, he got caught. A moment to hear from Alli Leforce. Jaylen Brunson’s craft sets him apart. He said, quote, “I’ve always played with my instincts and tried to see the game a couple plays ahead. As I’ve gotten older, that part of my game has gotten wiser and better, but I’m still learning.” Ryan, that’s a scary thought for the rest of the league. He’s already plenty dangerous, all the Knicks have gone seven of 14 and looking in control. Brunson passes to Robinson. Here’s Bridges. And the officials call goal, so they’ll award the basket. So far, they’re owning both ends of the floor. We’ll see if they can keep this going. They came out and rushed them. Huge difference in activity level from both teams tonight. He’s getting his first free throw attempt of the game here. McBride, he’s checked in for Brunson. Smarts checked in for Los Angeles. [Applause] Well, Richard, he’s the iron man of the NBA right now. Male Bridges takes pride in being available on a nightly basis. We’ve all heard it before. The best ability is availability. And Bridges does whatever it takes to not miss games. More teams need to take this mindset. [Applause] Six to shoot. Here’s James. Nice finish, man. Big time right there. Yeah, just too much big boy basketball by LeBron James. is bodying defenders inside. Now here’s Robinson pass to Ananobi outside. McBride Towns a screen on Smart. Here’s McBride. Smart with the defensive effort. And here’s Smart. He’ll bring it up for the Lakers. Down by 12. And it’s in there. Eightton’s gotten his second bucket of the game. That is a strong move by Aton. He is merciless in there. Anobi on the wing. [Applause] He’s in his comfort zone. Two for two to start this one. They’ve controlled the paint so far. That’s been the difference. It also allows them to play inside out which will make them even more difficult to defend. Smart passes to Aiden. Hachimura outside and a miss there with a chance to cut the lead to single digits. Oh, there’s the alley out of bounds. Los Angeles will have it. There’s one. I’m not sure who messed up the pass, but look, somebody did for the Knicks. Aua checked in for Robinson. Josh Hart comes in for Anobi and Jordan Clarkson subbed in for Muel Bridges. Lakers trail by 12. Pass to Smart. McBride on the double team. Here’s Connect from downtown. That falls. Nice feed that time from James. Yeah, locked and loaded. Connect ready to launch. [Music] [Applause] Back to Clarkson. Shot clock at five. [Applause] And he was fouled while in the act of shooting, so he’ll take two free throws. It’s on LeBron James. And at this stage of his career, Clarkson really knows his role. A highly effective scorer who looks to decimate defenses. [Applause] Take a break. Take a break. Two shots. [Music] And that one falls for Clarkson. Some changes for Los Angeles. Hayes has checked in for LeBron and Luca Donuch subbed in for Vincent. [Applause] [Applause] And so Clarkson nails both of them. Lakers trail by 11. Smart passes to Hayes. [Applause] Pass to Donic and he drops in the layup on the glass. Luca is so skilled at using his body to create good looks inside. [Applause] On the wing, Clarkson guarded by Donic. Clarkson against Donic. 11 ft out. Vanderville pulls it in. How did he break that one? He smoked it. Everything was set up for that to be an easy battle. Da no good. You got to move past that one. I mean, they’d want him to take that again. Yeah, it’s a great look for him. One they’ll try and manufacture again. Those are the shots you want him to take. Clarkson gets rebounded by Los Angeles. He did the work to get inside, but still you have to finish. And here’s Donic outside again. Donic missing. Knicks leading by nine. Outside pass to Clarkson. Fires for three. Oh, it can’t sink it. He’s 0 for three. And the Lakers shooting only 37% early. Donic passes to Smart. [Music] Back to Donic. [Music] [Applause] It’s Smart on the wing. Shot clock at six. And that one’s good. Connect. We knew he was solid from range per the scouting report, but Connect can hit fairly consistently from out there. New York has gone two of five from deep. Clarkson passes to Aua. Donic against Clarkson. Aua with a screen from 15 ft away and it’s Clarkson missing. That was a good look for him from mid-range but just couldn’t make the defense pay. Pass to Smart. [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] Always a nice way to start. Makes his first one. Good work inside from Smart. It’s clear how confident he is close to the rim. Clarkson against Donic. Now here’s Clarkson. Not a lot of room, but Chua with a screen on Donic. Clarkson for three. Knocks it down from distance. Clarkson’s got five. Jordan, it’s been all about Jaylen Brunson for the Knicks. He put together 10 points in the quarter. Back after this. And for those of you just tuning in, second quarter action is where we are. All right, guys. What’s your take on the Knicks so far? Oh, what I love was that first quarter was all about leaking out and capitalizing in transition. It leads to some easy buckets and I think it’s given them control of the pace in this one. And you played for several different coaches with very different philosophies. Grant, did you have a favorite system? Well, you know, BA, I did. I played 19 years, a number of different coaches, but the 8 seconds or less offense back when I was with the Suns as a player, you want to run. And honestly, it’s so much fun getting up and down. They’ve got Jordan Clarkson. Aua is out there with Josh Hart. Then there’s Jaylen Brunson. And it’s Sims in at the center position. That’s the group for New York starting the second. And it’s Clarkson missing. And you don’t see that every day. Usually he’ll convert when he gets that close to the rim. Pass break. New York. Rebound. The Lakers. Vanderbilt’s got his fourth rebound in this one. [Applause] Brunson against Donic. No good there with a step back. Jay. Another miss from him. Struggling to find his rhythm. Hard against Smart. Hard passes to Clarkson. Now Brunson up and over. Donic. New York again. Can’t hit. Credit the defensive effort there. Not giving him room to operate to the inside. Oh, deflected. Oh, and he got fouled on his way up. He’ll head to the line to shoot two. First person. You know, Grant, after losing in the first round last season, it felt like changes were inevitable for the Lakers. Yeah. Making the playoffs isn’t enough for that franchise. They are all about championship success, and anything short of that is a failure. The first free throw is good. Well, Grant, all the high hopes Knicks fans have had in recent years, they have finally come to fruition. Yeah, it really was good to see the Knicks have a great campaign last year. From the players to the coaches to the front office and the fans, they’ve pressed all the right buttons. Hates Deop. He’s checked in for New York. Donic hits them both. And Don is a walking triple double threat. His versatility and confidence is really special. Brunson taking his time here. Smart with the defensive effort. Lakers trail by three. To the paint. Cuts off the pass. Pass to Brunson. Here we go. and Brunson running the floor. And guys, let’s get your take on the hustle stats for the Knicks. From the very start of this game, they have been giving the ball handling using good pressure to turnovers and get and also I haven’t seen a lot of resistance from the defense when it comes to limiting their points in transition. Clea, he’s checked in for Hayes. One shot. That free throw good from Brunson. And here’s Donic. He’ll bring it up for Los Angeles in the second quarter. They’ve given up just three points. Hard against Vanderbilt. Pass to Donic. Donic throwing his weight around. That’s right. Oh my. Tight defense, but Donic just muscles it in. Here’s Koolic. St gu start guarded by Donic. Aua passes to Brunson. [Music] Clarkson right side. Good on the shot. Clarkson’s got seven points. I mean, nothing you can do there. I mean, if Clarkson is going to make this, tip your cap to him. Donic passes to Smart. There’s a screen [Music] [Applause] and you can count it. He’ll go to the line with a chance at a three-point play. Oh, dang attack himself. Los Angeles shooting their third free throw shot of the game. And Los Angeles making a change here. Vincson’s checked in. Heat. Heat. [Applause] That one misses for Smart Grant. How about that in season tournament win for the Lakers in 2024? Yeah, honestly, it just makes sense that the first of those trophies would land with a historic franchise like the Lakers. when he gets a quality look like he is in the early on. [Applause] Smart a screen on Clarkson and here’s Dantic outside the Luca three. Lonnie, this is just fun. These teams are trading threes back and forth. This is today’s NBA. Hey, we see this kind of exchange more often than not. Hart from long range. Rebound by the Lakers. Benson right side. Donic outside and he loss it up top. Oh, that’s offensive interference. Interference. No basket. Eighton. He’s checked in for Los Angeles. Reeves comes in for Smart. [Applause] Knicks leading by four. And here in the second quarter of action as we approach four minutes played Robinson a screen on Donic. Here’s Clarkson [Applause] [Music] up top. Bridges pass to Clarkson. Second chance shot. It’s hard on the wing. The three ball sends it home from three-point land. Can’t ask for a cleaner look than that. And they’ll make you pay. Lakers trail by seven 31 outside Reeves from deep. Here’s Donic. And the Lakers hit again from deep. And look at Luca now getting aggressive at the arc. He was eager to answer that last three. [Music] Clarkson passes to Brunson. Fades away. And Aiden pulls it down. Aiden’s got his fourth rebound in this one. Donic outside left side. Reeds and stolen by Bridges. Pass to Clarkson. Outside Brunson. Brunson assertive on the take and it’s Bridges with the jam. It’s a classic play the opening. Lakers trail by six outside Vanderbilt. Now here’s Aiden. Robinson defending. The fadeaway no good. Great contest by the defense and he’s unable to hit that tough fadeaway. Hart finds Brunson and a big finish by Robinson. Such good vision from Brunson. He’s able to spot a guy. Ready to attack ball. Reed the pass to Aiden. [Applause] Soft touch off the glass. Aiden’s got six points. That’s been the story of their offense so far. Getting a number of looks from point blank range. And they double up Brunson. Clarkson outside. Screen by Robinson down low. Three shots, three baskets. Great efficiency so far. Used the pick to perfection and got all the way to the rim. Here’s Vincent. No points yet. Pass to Donic. And there’s the lob. Oh, and the jam by Aiden. He’s a nimble guy for someone with that size. Aiden can get off of his feet quick for a lob. And from the sideline, let’s catch up with Hie. Thanks, Brian. The Knicks, one of the top defensive teams in the league, and it starts in the paint. Coach Tom Thibido said, quote, “We’ve prided ourselves on having a tight shell. We’ve got great rim protection, guys who take charges, and we’re aggressive on the ball, guys. Great defense has always been Tim’s MMO, and nothing has changed now. Thanks, Ally.” Now, here’s Robinson. Six points for him. Pass to Clarkson. Six on the shot clock. Hard passes to Brunson from about 19 with one on the clock. Oh yes. Throw it down. Oh wow. That type of finish is just deflating right now. 14 that’s trying to make a comeback. Ouch. That’s certainly a big time finish right there. It was one big for and it’s OG Anadobi in for Clarkson. LeBron he’s checked in for the Lakers. Aimura comes in for Luca Donuch. [Applause] Knicks leading by six now. Anobi five points in the game. Pass to Bridges. Now here’s Hart. Screen by Bridges. [Music] The three. And that’s his fourth bucket of the game in seven attempts. Obviously Bridges has practiced this move to death. He is from the front. Here’s James. Yes, he still got it. LeBron, hey, kept it simple. No reason to get fancy right now. Ba. Yeah, he’s just looking to find shots and produce for his team. Pass to Robinson. And an obi against Reeves. Robinson. A screen on Reeves. Back to Robinson. And a big finish by Robinson. And that’s a double double for him now. And that’s how literally James outside. The screen on Towns. Aiden controls the rebound and the put back. That’s the thing about Aiden. It is so hard to keep him off the glass. Bridges with it. 10 points for him to the middle. Kicks it out. Towns the three and the Knicks. Another three. And just totally relentless. Only increasing the intensity level. Always plays hard until the final whistle no matter what situation. 44. Now here’s Reeds. Here’s Aiden. Now seven for nine after that make. We’re seeing the full range of Aiden’s offensive skills tonight. The big man’s putting on a show outside Anobi. Back to Bridges. Pass to Robinson. [Applause] Hard against Aimura. Five on the clock. Hard passes to Towns. Here’s Anobi. Rebounded by the Lakers. Eightton’s got his sixth rebound on the night to the paint. Stolen by Anobi. Fast break. New York. He’s all alone. Throw it down on the breakaway jam. And just good hustle. Always nice to get an easy bucket on and making sure they get hurt by finishing strong. Pass to Aimura to the inside. Here’s James and slam dunk by James. This is classic LeBron leaping off the floor for a powerful dunk. Richard, it’s nice to have the versatility of a guy like Hachimura. Equally comfortable in either forward position. Well, he’s got the size and strength of a modernday NBA power player, but he also has the ability to stretch the floor and knock down a three. That’s a nice combination. And Reeves has got the ball here for the Los Angeles Lakers. It’s a 10-point game. Pass to James. So, it’ll be two free throws. He was fouled in the act of shooting. It’s going to go on Mitchell Robinson. He’s not afraid of getting physical. I like how James has no problem setting the contact while trying to score. [Applause] [Applause] That one’s off. But Grant, even though it looks like LeBron could play forever, he stated that he doesn’t have much time left. Well, it’s unbelievable that he sustained this level of excellence for as long as he has. I would be surprised if we see this type of longevity ever again. New York making a switch here. McBride’s checked in. And the second free throw is good. And when you think of LeBron, his competitive spirit is to me the first thing that comes to mind. All this guy wants to do is win all the time. Now here’s Towns inside and he got the whistle on the way up. So he’ll be headed to the line for a pair. First personal foul. And Male Bridges still one of the better wing defenders in the league. Yeah, he’s so great at pestering a shooter. Good lateral movement and wingspan makes him hard to get around. He might not be the best in the league, but he is well above average. [Applause] No good on the free throw. I consider Mikuel Bridges a high motor player. He’s always ready to turn up his energy if he thinks it will help him get the better of you. and he sinks the second. Here’s Reeves and 101 left in the first half of this one. Aimura outside. Back to Reeves. Benson outside. Aiden inside working on Robinson. Aimura outside. Two on the clock. And there’s James from the ark. Carl Anthony Towns comes up with a rebound. Towns has got his sixth rebound on the night. McBride with it now guarded by Aiden. Outside McBride. Pass to Robinson. Towns for three, knocks down the triple. Towns has got six in the quarter. And that’s what makes Towns so dangerous offensively. He’s a threat even when he’s playing off the ball. 6249. Aiden with a screen. A three. James on target from range. James has got 10. And that’s how you up the ante. Right back at him. Yeah. Good find right there and I’m bombing for my revenge. And we finished off one half a play out in front. They’re up by 10. And we’ll be right back after halftime for the start of the third quarter. See you in just a bit. And it’s Achi Mura in at the small forward position. Now here’s Bridges. Pass to Brunson. Now Ananobi. Now Towns. He’s covered by Reeves. Bridges outside from behind the ark and Aiden pulls it down. Lakers trail by 10. Outside Reeves back to Donic. Aimira with the ball outside. Reeves takes a three and Anobi pulls it down. And so Anobi will bring it up for New York. Here’s Bridges. It’s rebounded by Los Angeles. Donic has got a rebound number five here tonight. Outside Reeves pass to Donic. Aiden the screen on Bridges from deep. Here’s Donic. Sinks it from distance. Donic has got 17 points. encouraging to see Donic sink the three. Needs to keep doing this now. Here’s Brunson. Brunson with the finish inside and despite the height disadvantage. Oh my. He just had interior. Really phase. Throw his height right out the window. Bridges with it. Picked up by Reeves. Here’s Brunson. Rebound by the Lakers. Donic has got six rebounds now in the game. Reeves up top. Pass to Donic. There’s the three. The Knicks with the rebound. And this is exactly who you want taking that shot. He just missed it. Brunson finds Bridges. And Adobe for three and Aiden pulls it down. Aiden’s got his eighth rebound here tonight. Physical play by LeBron inside. A powerful move by LeBron inside, not letting anything stop him from getting his shot. Pass to Robinson. [Music] Towns left side. It’s going to be on LeBron James. LeBron James. That’s his third foul so far. Third personal foul. First team foul. A touch over two and a half minutes of basketball played here in the third quarter and stolen by Reeves. Good instincts to read the path and get in a position to pick it off. Aimura the pass to James and it’s good as he snugs it right through the net. That’s right. And now just a five-point Nick lead. Just zero hesitation from Dane. Trusting his shot to the right side. Towns right side. Shot clock at six. Pass to Bridges. The baseline Jay is on the way. And Hannah Nobi gets it to go on the assist by Bridges. Nice job to recognize the lack of D in that medium range area. Brunson against Donic. Second half here and we’re just over 3 and 1/2 minutes into it. Knicks leading by seven. [Applause] Bridges outside Brunson. Pass to Robinson. Anobi on the wing. Towns against James. The kick out to Brunson. Statson coming off an assist from Towns. Brunson’s got five points now this quarter. And no matter how the D’s coming at him tonight, Brunson has adapted. And that’s what great scorers do. They figure it out. Now here’s Reeves. Reeves with a screen on Brunson from deep. Here’s Donic. Oh, Donic with the response. Man, this is just fun. These teams are trading threes back and forth. This is today’s NBA. Hey, we see this kind of exchange more often than not. Here’s Brunson. 18 points for him. [Music] A sturdy finish from Brunson. A flashy ball handler. At times Brunson knows how to carve up scoring opportunities for himself. [Applause] Bridges against Reevesic. Oh, he powers right through the defender for the dunk. Draws the foul too and he’ll go to the line. Jaylen Brunson picks one up. Have a look now at how the offensive approach has been going here so far for the Knicks. The name of the game in the modern NBA is making threes, spacing the court, and that’s exactly what they are doing tonight. Yeah. Another thing you notice are all the assist. The ball just has energy and everyone is getting involved. That’s good from Donic. And so it’s Brunson with it. He brings it up for New York [Applause] from the arc and Aiden pulls it down. Aiden’s got nine rebounds in the game. Boy, he’s getting it done down low. Here’s James and it’s James with the jam. And once he gets to the rim, it’s fairly automatic. Nothing fancy right there. just takes the two points, moves on, and we’ll have a timeout called by Tom Pibido. He wants a few moments to regroup with his players. Hson’s checked in for Anobi and the Lakers also making a change. Smarts checked in. [Applause] [Applause] Towns outside to the wing on the left. Oh, rejected by Eightton. So difficult to shoot over. Eighton proving it with that rejection. Donic with it and Clarkson picks him up defensively. Luca proving he can score from anywhere. When he decides he wants to take it to the bucket, it’s really hard for anyone to slow him down. In 2024, Luca Donic recorded six consecutive 30point triple double games. That’s right, BA. The first time anyone has done it in NBA history. So, if you didn’t already believe in Luca Magic, well, there’s some proof that the magic is real. Three on the clock. Robinson can’t hit. The Lakers trail. Oh, what a performance offensively. They’re really rolling at that end. Excellent game play. Here’s Donic. And there’s another one for the Lakers. And their offense tonight is Luca, Luca, and more Luca. When he’s on, it’s an opponent’s worst nightmare. Bridges outside. And miss after miss right now. The Lakers have gone eight of 12 from the floor in the third quarter. And slam dunk by James. [Applause] New York trailing. And here’s Brunson. Give him 20 to stop the drought. Jump shot is good that time. Brunson’s got nine points now in the second half. And you just can’t let Brunson get to his spot. I mean, he’s an excellent mid-range shooter. [Music] [Applause] Reeves against Bridges. James outside [Applause] to the paint. Here’s Aiden. Towns with a rebound. New York has gone one of four here in the third from Rays. Bridges find Brunson. [Applause] [Applause] bounces high off the rim and drops. Brunson’s got 11 points in the quarter. The lefty getting it to go Jaylen Brunson once again. Here’s Smart. Oh my goodness. Smart with a tough finish. He’s having a good night from the field. Now, I know the defense is really keying in on him, but they need him involved if they’re going to pull this out. Towns passes to Clarkson looking to get back on track. Can’t cash it in from close range. Los Angeles has gone two of six from downtown here in the second half. And here’s Bridges. He’ll bring it up for the New York Knicks. They’ve led by as many as 14. Brunson against Donic and a foul called on the way up. So he’ll take two from the free throw line. It’s on LeBron James. And you have to avoid getting too physical with Brunson because he’ll get these calls. And this is his third trip to the line tonight. [Applause] [Applause] Then he drops it first. New York making a switch here. Hart’s checked in. Hayes is checked in for Los Angeles. Vanderbilt comes in for LeBron. Miss hits one then misses the second attempt from the line. They’re ahead for now, but that miss could come back to bite them. On the wing, Reeves. He’s guarded by Bridges. Reeves the pass to Donic. Reeves with the screen on Brunson. Back to Reeves. It’s 10th. Count it. Good. Reeves has gotten his second bucket. [Applause] New York has gone one of four here in the third from Reeves. Downs. A screen on Smart. Smart against Brunson. Bridges outside. Back to Brunson. Five to shoot. Park from long range gets rebounded by Los Angeles. Pass to Donic. Back to Reeves over Bridges. The shot by Reeves. No good. A tight one here in New York City. Now it’s hard. It’s Bridges on the wing. She’s covered by Reeves. And here’s Brunson from the arc. It’s hauled in by Luca Donic. Donic has got nine rebounds now. Reeves with a ball. Lets it go from deep. That one called. Great set up by Donic. Donic has got four assists in the game. You can tell Donic trusts his teammates. He’ll get them looks and doesn’t insist on doing everything himself. Now here’s Brunson. 25 points in the game. Clarkson outside Bridges left side. Here’s Brunson deflected. That’s why you always got to get a hand up. You never great anticipation and extra effort. He got in excellent position and then takes it right back up. Smart against Brunson. [Music] Pass to Donic. And they doubled up. Donic. Now Vanderbilt. [Applause] Smart for three. Hard pulls it in. Nick shooting just about 33% since the second half started. And here’s Bridges [Applause] outside. Hartson for three. Rebound. The Lakers. Oh man, he can’t get anything to fall. You can feel his frustration. Yeah, right now he’s just in his own head. Not much you can do to try and push through it. And New York shooting 44%. A pretty decent clip. Here’s Hart. Oh, that doesn’t go on the chance to tie. Donic against Clarkson. Now here’s Donic. He’s closely guarded. Hayes with a screen on Clarkson inside and finished off by Hayes. He’s just an aggressive finisher there inside. Hey, when you got bounced like that, you feel like you can take on anybody. Oh, what a performance by Luca Donic. He has been the story for Los Angeles. Dominating on the glass. What a quarter. We’ll be right back with you shortly. All right, let’s take a look at our assist of the game presented by State Farm. You can count on him to deliver a few assists like this one each and every night. And the ability to drop your jaw with the pass is something you rarely see in this league. What a talent he is. Well, this has been a great contest so far. I imagine the fourth quarter could have more action in store for us. We’ve got a Chua. Miles McBride is out there with Jaylen Brunson, then it’s Jordan Clarkson, and it’s Hart in at the four. So, that’s who’s on the floor for the Knicks. And this is just typical of him always making an impact at crucial moments in the game. And his team needs every bit of his production if they want to pull this one out. It is neck and neck here in the final period. Benson can’t hit. New York trailing. McBride passes to Brunson to the inside to tie it up. Pua. No good. That would have tied it. Got the ball where he wanted it, but then got swarmmed. At some point, you need to know when to stop shooting. Just too many misses piling up for him. From deep. Here’s Donic. And the three-pointer goes. Donic has got 16 points here in the second half. That’s a clutch shot by a big time shooter. And where’s the D [Music] outside Brunson? And so he draws the foul into the line to shoot a pair. He’ll challenge any defender. Brunson going right after it inside. Jaylen had a moment to check out the scoring breakdown for the Lakers. Look, they’re getting good looks inside. It’s been a point of emphasis all night long, but I love this hard-nosed attitude of this team. Yeah, the other thing they’re doing is absolutely scorching the net. Redot from outside all game long. And the first one at the line is good. Clea, he’s checked in for Hayes. and that’s good as he hits both shots. The Lakers lead by three. [Applause] Vincent outside. Pass to Donic. with the fadeaway again. The Lakers score and there’s Luca, one of the most entertaining players in the league. Here’s Brunson. The Lakers with a rebound. Vanderbilt’s got five rebounds in the game. Donic outside. Misses the jumper for New York. They’ve got only one of five to fall here in the fourth. Pass to Clarkson looking to end this cold spell and the bucket counts and he is on his way to the line. So he’ll try to make it a three-point play. Defensive foul charge to Dalton Bridges. He’s checked in for New York. Austin Reeves has checked in for Los Angeles. Jordan Fox at the line. One shot. And that one falls for Clarkson. And Reeves has got the ball here for the Lakers. The lead is two. Donic on the wing and they doubled up. Donic. Just five on the clock. The Lakers got to get one up. Late clock. Here’s Reeves outside. gets the three ball to go and the Lakers lead by five. And what kind of defense was that? You can’t give up wide open threes like that. What are you doing? Bridges feeling it out a little bit. Oh, a beautiful reverse layup. A nimble play by Bridges inside, navigating the contact and getting to his finish. [Music] Pass to Donic. [Music] Oh, look at Luca taking the contact and finishing strong. Oh, nice feed on time and on target. Outside Brunson. Bridges. A screen on Donic. Here’s Brunson. Oh, and there’s the whistle on the shot. So, two free throws for him coming up. First personal Jared Vanderbilt picks one up. Yeah, you never want to let shots at the rim go contest at the line. Two shots. [Applause] That free throw good from Brunson. [Applause] Both free throws good from Brunson here in the fourth quarter. Just under two and a half gone by. Donic passes to Reeves. Here’s the pick. Pulls up and it’s Brunson with the rebound. Brunson’s got five rebounds tonight. Oh, it’s stolen by Donic. And it’s the Lakers on the break. Has to connect. Yes, it’s good. And the Lakers lead by five. Love to see him inside passing like this as well as guys being on the same page. Donic against Brunson. Bridges. A screen on Donic. Here’s Brunson and he’s going to the line for two. The officials saw contact while he was going up. Foul 14 foul. Jaylen Brunson at the line. Two shots. [Applause] [Applause] That free throw good from Brunson. [Applause] 12 free throws good from Brunson. He’s making the most of every trip to the line, providing for his team. [Applause] To the middle. Aua with a steal. Brunson passes to Hart. Hson for three. It’s rebounded by Los Angeles. Donic has got the glass covered here tonight. That’s 11 boards for him. Pass to Reeves. [Music] Now here’s Donic outside. Vanderbilt. Just five to shoot. Clea passes to Reed, puts up a deep three, unable to get that one. It’s never easy from that distance, but we see him drill those and shoot around all the time. Even though he is capable of hitting that shot, I’d like to see him work for a better look in that situation. There’s a double team with Vanderbilt. Back to Clarkson to tie it up. Nails it from beyond the arc. And that’ll tie this game up. Rise and fire away. This is Clarkson’s attitude as soon as he catches the rock. And Don just has got the ball here for the Lakers to the paint. Here’s Vanderbilt. Blocked now. Brunson Reeves brings the double back to Brunson to take the lead. It’s held in by Luca Donuch. Los Angeles has gone two of four from the perimeter here in the fourth quarter [Applause] and he was fouled while in the act of shooting. So he’ll take two free throws. And this team’s offensive catalyst. Donic puts pressure on the defense every possession. Two shots. Take a break. Take break. Two shots. [Applause] First free throw is good for the Knicks. Robinson, he’s checked in for Aua. And Carl Anthony Town subbed in for Clarkson. DeAndre Aon, he’s checked in for the Lakers. LeBron comes in for Vanderbilt. Donic hits them both. The Knicks have gone four for 10 in the fourth. Bridges outside. Here’s Brunson. James with the block. And Brun with the block. Look, the shooters are working hard, but he is all over them. Donic passes to Reeves. Let’s go with a three. And Donic the bucket on the assist by Reeves. Three points. Reeves has got five assists tonight. He is pouring it in this quarter. Maybe double team shoot at this point in time. Triple team the Duke. [Applause] Brunson against Duch outside. Brunson down to five on the shot clock. Brunson so confident at the rim and I like it. I mean using the strong frame Brunson pushes through the foul and sinks the shot. He’s checked in for hard. 15 foul Jaylen Butson at the line. One shot. [Applause] The Lakers have gone six for 11 here in the fourth quarter. Himura with a screen on Brunson. Here’s Donic. And that one is right through the hard. Donic has got 41. And I love Donett’s shot selection. So smart at knowing when to shoot it. Bridges passes to Robinson. Outside. and Anobi takes the three and Aiden pulls it down. Aiden’s got 11 rebounds in the game. Throws it up high and stolen by Brunson. Anobi on the wing. Outside Brunson rebounded by the Lakers. Donic with it. Pass to Reeves. James inside. Runs and defending. How about LeBron? Even if he’s no longer the clearcut best player in the league, he can still take over a game, RJ. Oh, make no mistake. He’s still the best he needs to be. After he has a switch that gets flipped when he needs it. He’s not on for 48 minutes, but he can definitely turn it on for a few. He misses the free throw. [Applause] [Applause] And he’s good on the second. He couldn’t sink them all, but did just enough to make this a two-p possession ball game. Towns outside. [Music] Pass to Robinson. Brunson with it. Clock at six. Inside and a big finish by Robinson. Just outstanding distribution. This is the kind of team industry that you want to see. 99 now Reeves. Back to Donic. [Applause] Aiden with a screen. He’s feeling it good as the jump shot falls. Donic has got 43 points. Pick works well there, but the defense left a lot to be desired. Yeah, that just comes down to a lack of effort. The defender has to do a better job fighting through the screen. Baseline try. Brunson misses. Los Angeles leading by five. [Applause] Machimura left side. Pass to Aiden. Outside Reeves. Donic with it. fires at the elbow. Count that bucket. And now a seven-point Laker lead. And how about the handles Luca has. Phenomenal at creating scoring opportunities for himself. Outside Brunson. Robinson. A screen on Donic to the inside. And a big finish by Robinson. He’s a living highlight reel. Seriously, that could end up being one of the best dunks of the year. And Reeves has got the ball here for the Lakers. [Applause] So, it’ll be two free throws. He was fouled in the act of shooting. It’s going to be on OG Anomi. 13 foul. Austin Ringers at the line. Two shots. Take a break. Take a break. Two shots. [Music] First one falls for him. [Applause] That one falls. So he hits both of them. Here’s Brunson nearing 40 points in a dominant performance. Yeah, he’s been in attack mode all night. Donic pulls down the board. Donic has got rebound number 15 here tonight. Donic on the wing. That ball. Nice speed that time from James. James has got his fourth assist in this one. [Music] Brunson against James. And it’s Brunson missing. Now Los Angeles with it. They’re on a 16-7 run. And the ball goes out of bounds. Last touch by Don. A classic breakdown with the ball, sending it right out of bounds and giving the defense a freebie. And that’s how you defend. Glad we had a chance to see a replay of that block again. Yeah, obviously he had the shot well anticipated. Able to shut it down with authority. Here’s Brunson. 136 left in the fourth. [Applause] takes it inside. Brunson slices through the D. And the defense had the right idea, but Brunson is able to push through the contact. 103. Donic against Brunson. Here’s Aiden. And the foul is called. He missed it. So he’s got a couple of free throws coming his way. 14. [Applause] DeAndre A. Two shots. shooting two [Applause] and he misses the first one. Boy, he wanted that one to go. And I love the footwork possesses. It’s what makes him so dangerous close to the rim. [Applause] And he does get the second one. And that stretches their lead to eight. New York. They’re working against the clock now. Here’s Brunson. It’s good. Brunson’s got 42 in the game. A huge make by Jaylen Brunson. Shining in the biggest of moments from deep. Here’s Donic. Carl Anthony Towns comes up with the rebound. New York has gone only one to four from the perimeter here in this fourth quarter. Anobi passes to Brunson. It’s rebounded by Los Angeles. Here’s Donic over Brunson. The Lakers with another miss. What a huge trip here. Absolutely. You can feel the energy in this arena. Count it. And now they trail by just four. Great teamwork on that drive. Punctuated by a strong finish. Yeah, that’s nice execution. Running with purpose and creating an easy scoring opportunity off the break. Donic outside. Six to shoot. Watimura [Applause] James. Good look. And he sinks that one. Hitting the back of the rim on the way. 12 seconds left in the fourth quarter. And he buries it. What a beautiful shot. Brings him within three. And so they choose to intentionally foul. getting a little desperate at this stage. I mean, clock. New York foul. Male Bridges first personal foul. 15 foul. Austin Reeds at the line. Two shots. He hits the first one and that gives him a four-point cushion. And so both free throws good and it’s a five-point game. Put a bow on this one. His composure at the line effectively ends it. Timeout called the Knicks. They’re down by five. What do you think is going to be their best move at this point? And they’re going to have to work fast coming out of the timeout. Yeah, no time to waste. They basically have to execute things perfectly from here on out. Towns for three. Oh, gets the free to fall. This is that modern big man play. Tall guys who are comfortable draining shots from deep. And we’ve got a timeout called by JJ Reick. There is a lot on the line and he is determined to make sure everyone’s on the same page [Music] for the NBA. Wow. [Applause] 7 seconds left in the fourth and there’s the intentional foul. No choice but to stop the clock here at the line. Two shots. [Applause] He gets the first and that makes it a three-point lead. He’s off on the free throw. Unable to get the second one to drop and looking to even the to score with a huge three. That’s their only option. They have to get a good look from deep here. So, it’s a narrow victory for go one-on-one, but I think the key is to keep their teammates involved playing unselfish basketball. And now the Los Angeles starters. They’ve got Rui Achimura. Luca Donuch is out there with Austin Reeves. Then it’s DeAndre Aton. And it’s James in at the power forward position. Now here’s Towns for three. Bridges and Aiden pulls it down. Donic against Brunson. Donic outside. kept alive and Aiden gets it to go. Not afraid to throw his big body around. Aiden good at keeping plays going. Gives us a chance to catch up with Alli Leforce. Tom Tibido gave me a few minutes to catch up with him and I asked about LeBron James and how his team plans to stop him. He said, “I told our guys that we can’t give him any lanes to the rim because when that happens, everything else in his game opens up. We need to plug every avenue to the basket, guys. Let’s see if they’re able to execute the strategy. Thanks for that, Ally. Able to keep his cool. Brunson doesn’t let the clock force his shot. Donic passes to Aimura. Brunson against Donic. The screen on Brunson inside. Oh, the block shot. Grabs it out of the air. Anobi against Donic. Anobi passes to Bridges. Outside Brunson. Screen by Robinson. Three-pointer and it’s Brunson with the three. Brunson’s got five now. You know, some threes look better than others. And Brunson’s lefty stroke from three is a beautiful thing. Donic finds Aimura. And around two minutes played here in the first quarter. Reeves the pass to Aimura. Donic with it. Four on the clock. Fires the three and it’s New York with a rebound. Oh, he really wanted that triple even though he missed. I really like the competitiveness I’m seeing. Towns outside. Pulls it from the top of the key. Here’s Robinson and he goes in for the dunk. And this kind of sick slam is just one of the reasons this team is in charge of this game right now. Ba, you know, there’s an edge the way they played and a confidence they’re not afraid to show. Here’s Donic. And so JJ Reic calls for the timeout. He’s going to talk it over with his guys. Things just aren’t going their way. He clearly wants to talk it over. Good timeout if you ask me. They have the momentum and coach wants to get it to go. And here’s Bridges. He’ll bring it up for New York. And Reeves pulls it down. Lakers trail by five. Well, Grant, one thing about this Knicks team, they have a clear identity. Yeah, they have the mentality of their city. New York City playing the game with passion and in yourface attitude. And of course, these Knicks leave it all out on the floor. And here we go. The Knicks in transition. And the basket by Bridges. Bridges. Just nobody stopping Bridges from finishing the break. He’s just too much. Just under three and 1/2 minutes elapsed here in the first quarter. Boy, they need something to go to regain some confidence. No question. Way too many empty possessions for them. And here we go. The Knicks in transition. And that one’s good. Brunson. Brunson’s got seven points in the game and they’ve made themselves easy pickings. Sloppy ball control creates an easily converted turnover. James a screen on Brunson releases. Kic with the bucket. Got to fight harder to get over those screens. Yeah, as soon as these guys build contact, they are just disappearing like they’re not even there. You got to show some fire and keep defending. Now here’s Brunson. Seven points in the game. It’s Robinson high post down to five on the shot clock and a foul called on the way up. So he’ll take two from the free throw line. First personal foul. Well, I don’t think anyone predicted that Jaylen Brunson would become the player he is today, Grant. Yeah, that’s for sure. BA or he definitely wouldn’t have been a second round pick. He’s a hard worker, a competitor, and an elite offensive player. That free throw no good. Got to get it. Good. [Music] Good on the second one. Lakers trail by eight. Now here’s Donic. James. A screen on Brunson. Donic feeling it out a bit. Three-pointer. It’s hauled in by Robinson. Robinson’s got four rebounds now. Bridges on the attack. Tips it. Great positioning on the putback. Brunson’s got 10 points in the game. They’ve shown so much energy right from the start, particularly on the offensive end. They came out swinging, really setting the tone on offense and the opposition has not been able to respond. Now here’s Reeds. He’s scoreless. Always a nice way to start. Makes his first one. I know what they say, defense wins championships, but you need some bucket givers, too. Now outside Robinson. James against Towns. [Applause] Tries again. The kick out to Brunson. Jacks up a three and Aiden pulls it down. That is not a guy you want to allow open looks for range. Lucky for the defense, he just couldn’t get it to go. Aiden a screen on Bridges. Reeves against Bridges. Donic outside the put back. No luck on that one. He hasn’t been able to find his touch this quarter. Yeah. Straight up, guys. These ice boats like freezing. What’s colder than cold? But you don’t have to shoot it, my guy. It’s okay to pass the ball. And we’ve got a timeout cold. [Applause] Here’s Reeves. They’ve been having major problems offensively. Definitely in a bit of a dry spell. [Applause] Pass to Aimura. [Applause] Back to Reeves. And that one goes out of bounds. Last touch by Reeves. And the fans love seeing incredible moments on defense like that block. Showing no signs of giving up this lead. That block sent shock waves into the opposition sails. [Applause] Knicks leading by 11. Outside Anobi. [Music] Here’s Robinson. He’s covered by Aiden. Anobi. A screen on James. And the officials will call the illegal screen here. The screener was leaning a bit right there. His feet may not have been planted. Pretty obvious call by the officials. Look, guys get away with this all the time, but on this occasion, he got caught. A moment to hear from Ally Leforce. Jaylen Brunson’s craft sets him apart. He said, quote, “I’ve always played with my instincts and tried to see the game a couple plays ahead. As I’ve gotten older, that part of my game has gotten wiser and better, but I’m still learning.” Ryan, that’s a scary thought for the rest of the league. He’s already plenty dangerous. Ally, the Knicks have gone seven of 14 and looking in control. Brunson passes to Robinson. Here’s Bridges and the officials called goal. So, they’ll award the basket. So far, they’re owning both ends of the floor. We’ll see if they can keep this goal. They came out and line rushed them. Huge difference in activity level from both teams tonight. He’s getting his first free throw attempt of the game here. McBride, he’s checked in for Brunson. Smart’s checked in for Los Angeles. [Applause] Well, Richard, he’s the Iron Man of the NBA right now. Male Bridges takes pride in being available on a nightly basis. We’ve all heard it before. The best ability is availability. And Bridges does whatever it takes to not miss games. More teams need to take this mindset. [Applause] Six to shoot. Here’s James. Nice finish, man. Big time right there. Yeah, just too much big boy basketball by LeBron James. Just bodying defenders inside. Now here’s Robinson. Pass to Ananobi outside. McBride. Towns. A screen on Smart. Here’s McBride. Smart with the defensive effort. And here’s Smart. He’ll bring it up for the Lakers. Down by 12. And it’s in there. Eightton’s gotten his second bucket of the game. That is a strong move by Eightton. He is merciless in there. Anobi on the wing. [Applause] He’s in his comfort zone. two for two to start this one. They’ve controlled the paint so far. That’s been the difference. It’ll also allow them to play inside out which will make them even more difficult to defend. Smart passes to Aiden Hachimura outside and a miss there with a chance to cut the lead to single digits. Oh, there’s the alley and out of bounds. Los Angeles will have it. There’s one. I’m not sure who messed up the pass, but look, somebody did. For the Knicks, Auas checked in for Robinson. Josh Hart comes in for Anobi. And Jordan Clarkson subbed in for Mikuel Bridges. Lakers trail by 12. Pass to Smart. McBride on the double team. Here’s Connect from downtown. Nice feed that time from James. Yeah, locked and loaded. Connect ready to launch. Clarkson passes to Hart. [Applause] [Music] Back to Clarkson. Shot clock at five. And he was fouled while in the act of shooting. So he’ll take two free throws. It’s on LeBron James. And at this stage of his career, Clarkson really knows his role. A highly effective scorer who looks to decimate defenses. [Applause] Take a break. Take a break. Two shots. Let’s get it. Get And that one falls for Clarkson. Some changes for Los Angeles. Hayes has checked in for LeBron. And Luca Donuch subbed in for Vincent. [Applause] [Applause] And so Clarkson nails both of them. Lakers trail by 11. Smart passes to Hayes. [Applause] Pass to Donic and he drops in the layup off the glass. Oluca is so skilled and using his body to create good looks inside [Applause] on the wing. Clarkson guarded by Donic. Clarkson against Donic. 11 ft out. Vanderbilt pulls it in. How did he break that one? He smoked it. Everything was set up for that to be an easy battle. No good. You got to move past that one. I mean, they’d want him to take that again. Yeah, it’s a great look for him. One they’ll try and manufacture again. Those are the shots you want him to take. Clarkson gets rebounded by Los Angeles. He did the work to get inside, but still you have to finish. And here’s Donic outside again. Donic missing. Knicks leading by nine. Outside pass to Clarkson. fires for three. Oh, he can’t sink it. He’s 0 for three. And the Lakers shooting only 37% early. Donic passes to Smart. [Music] Back to Donic. [Music] [Applause] It’s Smart on the wing. Shot clock at six. And that one’s good. Connect. We knew he was solid from range per the scouting report, but connect can hit fairly consistently from out there. New York has gone two of five from deep. Clarkson passes to Aua. Donic against Clarkson. Aua with a screen 15 ft away. And it’s Clarkson missing. That was a good look for him from mid-range but just couldn’t make the defense pay. Fast to smart. [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] Always a nice way to start. Makes his first one. Good work inside from Smart. It’s clear how confident he is close to the rim. Clarkson against Donic. Now here’s Clarkson. Not a lot of room, but Chua with a screen on Donic. Clarkson for three. Knocks it down from distance. Clarkson’s got five. Jordan. It’s been all about Jaylen Brunson for the Knicks. He put together 10 points in the quarter. Back after this. And for those of you just tuning in, second quarter action is where we are. All right, guys. What’s your take on the Knicks so far? Oh, what I love was that first quarter was all about leaking out and capitalizing in transition. It leads to some easy buckets and I think it’s given them control of the pace in this one. And you played for several different coaches with very different philosophies. Grant, did you have a favorite system? Well, you know, BA, I did. I played 19 years, a number of different coaches, but the 8 seconds or less offense back when I was with the Suns as a player, you want to run. And honestly, it’s so much fun getting up and down the floor. They’ve got Jordan Clarkson. Aua is out there with Josh Hart. Then there’s Jaylen Brunson. And it’s Sims in at the center position. That’s the group for New York starting the second and it’s Clarkson missing. And you don’t see that every day. Usually he’ll convert when he gets that close to the rim. Pass break. New York. Rebound. The Lakers. Vanderbilt’s got his fourth rebound in this one. runs it against Donic. No good there with a step back. Jay, another miss from him. Struggling to find his rhythm. Hard against Smart. Hard passes to Clarkson. Now Brunson up over Donic. New York again. Can’t hit. Credit the defensive effort there not giving him room to operate to the inside. Oh, deflected. Oh, and he got fouled on his way up. He’ll head to the line to shoot two. You know, Grant, after losing in the first round last season, it felt like changes were going to happen for the Lakers. Yeah. Making the playoffs isn’t enough for that franchise. They are all about championship success, and anything short of that is a failure. The first free throw is good. Well, Grant, all the high hopes Knicks fans have had in recent years, they have finally come to fruition. Yeah, it really was good to see the Knicks have a great campaign last year. From the players to the coaches to the front office and the fans, they’ve pressed all the right buttons. Bates Deop, he’s checked in for New York. Donic hits them both and Donas is a walking triple double threat. His versatility and confidence is really special. Brunson taking his time here. Smart with the defensive effort. Lakers trail by three. To the paint. Cuts off the pass. Pass to Brunson. Here we go. And Brunson running the floor. And guys, let’s get your take on the hustle stats for the Knicks. From the very start of this game, they have been giving the ball hand using good pressure to force turnovers and get and also I haven’t seen a lot of resistance from the defense when it comes to limiting their points in transition. Clea, he’s checked in for Hayes. One shot. That free throw good from Brunson. And here’s Donic. He’ll bring it up for Los Angeles in the second quarter. They’ve given up just three points. Hard against Vanderbilt. Pass to Donic. Donic throwing his weight around. That’s from Oh my tight defense, but Donic just muscles it in. [Music] Here’s Kick. Guarded by Donic. Aua passes to Brunson. Clarkson right side. Good on the shot. Clarkson’s got seven points. I mean, nothing you can do there. I mean, if Clarkson is going to make this, tip your cap to him. Donic passes to Smart. There’s a screen [Music] [Applause] and you can count it. He’ll go to the line with a chance at a three-point play. Dang attack himself. Los Angeles shooting their third free throw shot of the game. And Los Angeles making a change here. Vincent’s checked in. [Music] [Applause] That one misses for Smart Grant. How about that in season tournament win for the Lakers in 2024? Yeah, honestly, it just makes sense that the first of those trophies would land with a historic franchise like the Lakers. when he gets a quality look like he is at the very he can always be on [Applause] smart a screen on Clarkson and here’s Donic outside the Luca three money this is just fun these teams are trading threes back and forth this is today’s NBA hey we see this kind of exchange more often than not from long range rebound by the Lakers Vincson right side. Donic outside and he loves it up top. Oh, that’s offensive interference. No basket. Aton, he’s checked in for Los Angeles. Reeves comes in for Smart. [Applause] Knicks leading by four. And here in the second quarter of action as we approach four minutes played Robinson a screen on Donic. Here’s Clarkson up top. Bridges pass to Clarkson. Second chance shot. It’s hard on the wing. The three ball sends it home from three-point land. Can’t ask for a cleaner look than that. And they’ll make you pay. Lakers trail by seven. 31. Outside Reeves from deep. Here’s Donic. And the Lakers hit again from deep. And look at Luca now getting aggressive at the arc. He was eager to answer that last three. [Music] Clarkson passes to Brunson. Fades away. And Aiden pulls it down. Aiden’s got his fourth rebound in this one. Donic outside left side. Reeds and stolen by Bridges. Pass to Clarkson. Outside. Brunson. Brunson assertive on a take and it’s Bridges with the jam. It’s a classic play the opening. Lakers trail by six outside Vanderbilt. Now here’s Aiden. Robinson defending the fadeaway. Eightton no good. Great contest by the defense and he’s unable to hit that tough fadeaway. Hard finds Brunson and a big finish by Robinson. Such good vision from Brunson. He’s able to spot a guy ready to ball. Re the pass to Aiden. [Applause] Soft touch off the glass. Aiden’s got six points. That’s been the story of their offense so far. Getting a number of looks from point blank range. And they double up Brunson. Clarkson outside. Screen by Robinson. down low. Three shots, three baskets. Great efficiency so far. Used the pick to perfection. Got all the way to the rim. Here’s Vincent. No points yet. Pass to Donic. And there’s the lob. Oh, and the jam by He’s a nimble guy for someone with that size. Aiden can get off of his feet quick for a lob. And from the sideline, let’s catch up with Hie. Thanks, Brian. The Knicks, one of the top defensive teams in the league, and it starts in the paint. Coach Tom Thibido said, quote, “We’ve prided ourselves on having a tight shell. We’ve got great rim protection, guys who take charges, and we’re aggressive on the ball, guys. Great defense has always been Tib and nothing has changed now. Thanks, Ally.” Now, here’s Robinson. Six points for him. Pass to Clarkson. Six on the shot clock. Hard passes to Brunson from about 19 with one on the clock. Oh yes. Throw it down. Wow. That type of finish is just deflating right now. For a team that’s trying to make a comeback. Ouch. That’s certainly a big time finish right there. It was one big comes in for Brunson and it’s OG Adidobi in for Clarkson. LeBron, he’s checked in for the Lakers. Aimira comes in for Luca Donuch. [Applause] Knicks leading by six now. Anobi five points in the game. Pass to Bridges. Now here’s Hart. Screen by Bridges. [Music] The three and that’s his fourth bucket of the game in seven attempts. Obviously Bridges has practiced this little chip that he is from the front. Here’s James. Yes, he still got it. LeBron. Hey, kept it simple. No reason to get fancy right now. Ba. Yeah, he’s just looking to find shots and produce for his team. Pass to Robinson. Anobi against Reeves. Robinson. A screen on Reeves. Back to Robinson and a big finish by Robinson. And that’s a double double for him now. And that’s how literally James outside the screen on Towns. Aiden controls the rebound and the put back. That’s the thing about Aiden is so hard to keep him off the glass. Bridges with it. 10 points for him to the middle. Kicks it out. Towns the three and the Knicks. Another three. And just totally relentless. Only increasing the intensity level. always plays hard until the final whistle, the better situation. 44. Now here’s Reeds. Here’s Aiden. Ooh, now seven for nine after that make. We’re seeing the full range of Aiden’s offensive skills tonight. The big man’s putting on a show outside Anobi. Back to Bridges. Pass to Robinson. Hard against Aimura. Five on the clock. Hard passes to Towns. Here’s Anobi. Rebounded by the Lakers. Eightton’s got his sixth rebound on the night to the paint. Stolen by Anobi. Fast break. New York. He’s all alone. Throw it down on the breakaway jam. And just good hustle. Always nice to get an easy bucket on the break and making sure they hurt by finishing strong. Pass to Aimura to the inside. Here’s James and slammed dumped by James. This is classic LeBron leaping off the floor for a powerful dunk. Richard, it’s nice to have the versatility of a guy like Hachimura. Equally comfortable at either forward position. Well, he’s got the size and strength of a modernday NBA power play, but he also has the ability to stretch the floor and knock down a three. That’s a nice combination. And Reeves has got the ball here for the Los Angeles Lakers. It’s a 10-point game. Pass to James. So, it’ll be two free throws. He was fouled in the active shooting. It’s going to go on Mitchell Robinson. He’s not afraid of getting physical. I like how James has no problem setting the contact while trying to score. [Applause] [Applause] That one’s off. But Grant, even though it looks like LeBron could play forever, he stated that he doesn’t have much time left. Well, it’s unbelievable that he sustained this level of excellence for as long as he has. I would be surprised if we see this type of longevity ever again. New York making a switch here. McBride’s checked in. And the second free throw is good. And when you think of LeBron, his competitive spirit is to me the first thing that comes to mind. All this guy wants to do is win all the time. Now here’s Towns inside. And he got the whistle on the way up. So, he’ll be headed to the line for a pair. First personal foul. And Male Bridges still one of the better wing defenders in the league. Greg, yeah, he’s so great at pestering the shooter. Good lateral movement and wingspan makes him hard to get around. He might not be the best in the league, but he is well above average. [Applause] No good on the free throw. I consider Mikuel Bridges a high motor player. He’s always ready to turn up his energy if he thinks it will help him get the better of you. and he sinks the second. Here’s Reeves and 101 left in the first half of this one. Aimura outside. Back to Reeves. Benson outside. Aiden inside working on Robinson. Aimura outside. Two on the clock and there’s James from the ark. Carl Anthony Towns comes up with a rebound. Towns has got his sixth rebound on the night. McBride with it now guarded by Aiden. Outside McBride for Robinson. Towns for three, knocks down the triple. Towns has got six in the quarter. And that’s what makes Towns so dangerous offensively. He’s a threat even when he’s playing off the ball. 6249. Aiden with a screen, a three. James on target from range. James has got 10. And that’s how you up the antie. Come right back at it. Yeah. of the casket right there and I’m bound for my revenge. And we finished off one half a play out in front. They’re up by 10 and we’ll be right back after halftime for the start of the third quarter. See you in just a bit. And it’s Aimura in at the small forward position. Now here’s Bridges. Pass to Brunson. Now Anobi. Now Towns. He’s covered by Reeves. Bridges outside from behind the ark and Aiden pulls it down. Lakers trail by 10. Outside Reeves back to Donic. Aimro with the ball outside. Reeves takes a three and Anobi pulls it down. And so Anobi will bring it up for New York. Here’s Bridges. It’s rebounded by Los Angeles. Donic has got a rebound number five here tonight. Outside Reeves. Pass to Donic. Aiden. The screen on Bridges from deep. Here’s Donic. Sinks it from distance. Donic has got 17 points. Encouraging to see Donic sink the three. Needs to keep doing this now. Here’s Brunson. Brunson with the finish inside. And despite the height disadvantage. Oh my. He just had serious. Really unfaced. Throw his height right out the window. Bridges with it. Picked up by Reeves. Here’s Brunson. Rebound by the Lakers. Donic has got six rebounds now in the game. Re up top. Pass to Donic. There’s the three. The Knicks with the rebound. And this is exactly who you want taking that shot. Just missed it. Brunson finds Bridges and Anobi for three. And Aiden pulls it down. Aiden’s got his eighth rebound here tonight. Physical play by LeBron inside. Powerful move by LeBron inside. Not letting anything stop him from getting his shot. Pass to Robinson. [Music] Towns left side. It’s going to be on LeBron James. LeBron James. That’s his third foul so far. Third personal foul. First team foul. A touch over two and a half minutes of basketball played here in the third quarter. And stolen by Reeves. Good instincts to read the path and get in a position to pick it off. Himura the pass to James and it’s good as he snugs it right through the net. That’s right. And now just a five-point Nick lead. Just zero hesitation from James trusting his shot. to the right side. Towns right side. Shot clock at six. Pass to Bridges. The baseline Jay is on the way and Hannah Novi gets it to go on the assist by Bridges. Nice job to recognize the lack of D in that medium range area. Brunson against Donic. Second half here and we’re just over 3 and 1/2 minutes into it. Knicks leading by seven. [Applause] Bridges outside. Outside Brunson. Pass to Robinson. Anovi on the wing. Towns against James. The kick out to Brunson. Stats in coming off an assist from Towns. Brunson’s got five points now this quarter. And no matter how the D’s coming at him tonight, Brunson has adapted. And that’s what great scorers do. They figure it out. Now here’s Reeds. Reeves with a screen on Brunson from deep. Here’s Donic. Ooh, Donic with the response. Man, this is just fun. These teams are trading threes back and forth. This is today’s NBA. Hey, we see this kind of exchange more often than not. Here’s Brunson. 18 points for him. [Music] A sturdy finish from Brunson. A flashy ball handler at times. Brunson knows how to carve up scoring opportunities for himself. [Applause] Bridges against Reeves. Oh, he powers right through the defender for the dunk. Draws the foul too and he’ll go to the line. Jaylen Brunson picks one up. And a look now at how the offensive approach has been going here so far for the Knicks. The name of the game in the modern NBA is making threes, spacing the court, and that’s exactly what they are doing tonight. Yeah. Another thing you notice are all the assists. The ball just has energy and everyone is getting involved. That’s good from Donic. And so it’s Brunson with it. He brings it up for New York. [Applause] from the arc and Aiden pulls it down. Aton’s got nine rebounds in the game. Boy, he’s getting it done down low. Here’s James and it’s James with the jam. And once he gets to the rim, it’s fairly automatic. Nothing fancy right there. just takes two points, moves on, and we’ll have a timeout called by Tom Thibido. He wants a few moments to regroup with his players. Hson’s checked in for Anoi and the Lakers also making a change. Smarts checked in. [Applause] [Applause] Towns outside to the wing on the left. Oh, rejected by Eightton. So difficult to shoot over. Eighton proving it with that rejection. Donic with it and Clarkson picks him up defensively. Luca proving he can score from anywhere. When he decides he wants to take it to the bucket, it’s really hard for anyone to slow him down. In 2024, Luca Donuch recorded six consecutive 30point triple double games. That’s right, BA. The first time anyone has done it in NBA history. So, if you didn’t already believe in Luca Magic, well, there’s some proof that the magic is real. Three on the clock. Robinson can’t hit. The Lakers trail. Oh, what a performance offensively. They’re really rolling at that end. Excellent gameplay. Here’s Donic. And there’s another one for the Lakers. And their offense tonight is Luca, Luca, and more Luca. When he’s on, it’s an opponent’s worst nightmare. Bridges outside. [Applause] 12 from the floor in the third quarter and slam dunk by James. [Applause] [Music] New York trailing. And here’s Brunson. Give him 20. to stop the drought. Jump shot is good that time. Brunson’s got nine points now in the second half. And you just can’t let Brunson get to his spot. I mean, he’s an excellent mid-range shooter. [Music] [Applause] Reeves against Bridges. James outside [Applause] to the paint. Here’s Aiden. Towns with a rebound. New York has gone one of four here in the third from Rays. Bridges finds Brunson. [Applause] [Applause] bounces high off the rim and drops. Brunson’s got 11 points in the quarter. The lefty getting it to go with Jaylen Brunson once again. Here’s Smart. Oh my goodness. Smart with a tough finish. He’s having a good night from the field. Now, I know the defense is really keying in on him, but they need him involved if they’re going to pull this out. Towns passes to Clarkson, looking to get back on track. can’t cash it in from close range. Los Angeles has gone two of six from downtown here in the second half. And here’s Bridget. He’ll bring it up for the New York Knicks. They’ve led by as many as 14. Brunson against Donic. And a foul called on the way up. So he’ll take two from the free throw line. Fourth personal. It’s on LeBron James. And you have to avoid getting too physical with Brunson because he’ll get these calls. And this is his third trip to the line tonight. [Applause] Then he drops it first. New York making a switch here. Hart’s checked in. Hayes is checked in for Los Angeles. Vanderbilt comes in for LeBron. Gets one then misses the second attempt from the line. They’re ahead for now, but that miss could come back to bite them. On the wing, Reeves. He’s guarded by Bridges. Reeves pass to Donic. Reeves with a screen on Brunson. Back to Reeves. Gets tipped. [Applause] Count it. Good. Reeves has got his second bucket. [Applause] New York has gone one of four here in the third from range. [Applause] Downs a screen on Smart. Smart against Brunson. Bridges outside. Back to Brunson. Five to shoot. Hart from long range gets rebounded by Los Angeles. Pass to Donic. Back to Reeves over Bridges. A shot by Reeves. No good. A tight one here in New York City. Now it’s hard. It’s Bridges on the wing. He’s covered by Reeves. And here’s Brunson from the arc. It’s hauled in by Luca Donuch. Donic has got nine rebounds now. Reeves with a ball. Lets it go from deep. That one called. Great set up by Donic. Donic has got four assists in the game. You can tell Donic trusts his teammates. He’ll get them looks and doesn’t insist on doing everything himself. Now here’s Brunson. 25 points in the game. Clarkson outside. Bridges left side. Here’s Brunson deflected. That’s why you always got to get a hand up. Great anticipation and extra effort. He got in excellent position then takes it right back up. Smart against Brunson. [Music] Pass to Donic and they doubled up Donic. Now Vanderbilt [Applause] smart for three. Mark pulls it in. Nick shooting just about 33% since this second half started. And here’s Bridges [Applause] outside. Harden for three. Rebound the Lakers. Oh man, he can’t get anything to fall. You can feel his frustration. Yeah, right now he’s just in his own head. Not much you can do to try and push through it. And New York shooting 44%. A pretty decent clip. Here’s Hart. Oh, that doesn’t go on the chance to tie. Donic against Clarkson. Now here’s Dantic. He’s closely guarded. Hayes with a screen on Clarkson inside. And finished off by Hayes. He’s just an aggressive finisher there inside. Hey, when you got bounced like that, you feel like you can take on anybody. Oh, what a performance by Luca Donic. He has been the story for Los Angeles. Dominating on the glass. What a quarter. We’ll be right back with you shortly. All right, let’s take a look at our assist of the game presented by State Farm. You can count on him to deliver a few assists like this one each and every night. And the ability to drop your jaw with the pass is something you rarely see in this league. What a talent he is. Well, this has been a great contest so far. I imagine the fourth quarter could have more action in store for us. We’ve got a Chua. Miles McBride is out there with Jaylen Brunson. Then it’s Jordan Clarkson. And it’s Hart in at the four. That’s who’s on the floor for the Knicks. And this is just typical of him always making an impact at crucial moments in the game. And his team needs every bit of his production if they want to pull this one out. It is neck and neck here in the final period. Benson can’t hit. New York trailing. McBride passes to Brunson to the inside to tie it up. Aua no good. That would have tied it. Got the ball where he wanted it, but then got swarmmed. At some point, you need to know when to stop shooting. Just too many misses piling up for him. From deep. Here’s Donic. And the three-pointer goes. Donic has got 16 points here in the second half. That’s a clutch shot by a big time shooter. And where’s the D [Music] outside Brunson? And so he draws the foul headed to the line to shoot a pair. He’ll challenge any defender. Brunson going right after it inside. Jaylen had a moment to check out the scoring breakdown for the Lakers. Look, they’re getting good looks inside. It’s been a point of emphasis all night long, but I love this hard-nosed attitude of this team. Yeah. Now, the other thing they’re doing is absolutely scorching the net. Redot from outside all game long. And the first one at the line is good. Clea, he’s checked in for Hayes. And that’s good as he hits both shots. The Lakers lead by three. [Applause] Vincent outside. Pass to Donic with the fadeaway. Again, the Lakers score. And there’s Luca, one of the most entertaining players in the league. Here’s Brunson. The Lakers with a rebound. Vanderbilt’s got five rebounds in the game. Donic outside. Misses the jumper for New York. They’ve got only one of five to fall here in the fourth. Pass to Clarkson. looking to end this cold spell. And the bucket counts and he is on his way to the line. So he’ll try to make it a three-point play. Defensive foul charge to Dalton Bridges. He’s checked in for New York. Austin Reeds has checked in for Los Angeles. Jordan Clarkson at the line. One shot. And that one falls for Clarkson. And Reeves has got the ball here for the Lakers. The lead is two. Donic on the wing and they doubled up. Donic just five on the clock. The Lakers got to get one up. Late clock and here’s Reeves outside. Gets the three ball to go and the Lakers lead by five. And what kind of defense was that? You can’t give up wide open threes like that. What are you doing? Bridges feeling it out a little bit. [Applause] Oh, a beautiful reverse layup. Number play by Bridges inside navigating the contact and getting to his finish. Pass to Donic. [Music] Oh, look at Luca taking the contact and finishing strong. Oh, nice speed on time and on target. Outside Brunson Bridges a screen on Donic. Here’s Brunson. Oh, and there’s the whistle on the shot. So, two free throws for him coming up. First personal foul. Jared Vanderbilt picks one up. Yeah, you never want to let shots at the rim go at the line. Two shots. [Applause] That free throw good from Brunson. [Applause] [Applause] 12 free throws good from Brunson here in the fourth quarter. Just under two and a half gone by. Donic passes to Reeds. Here’s the pick. Pulls up. And it’s Brunson with the rebound. Brunson’s got five rebounds tonight. Oh, it’s stolen by Donets. And it’s the Lakers on the break. Has to connect. Yes, it’s good. And the Lakers lead by five. Love to see him inside passing like this as well as guys being on the same page. Donic against Brunson. Bridges. A screen on Donic. Here’s Brunson. And he’s going to the line for two. The officials saw contact while he was going up. Foul 14 foul. Jaylen Brunson at the line. Two shots. [Applause] [Applause] That free throw good from Brunson. [Applause] 12 free throws good from Brunson. He’s making the most of every trip to the line, providing for his team. [Applause] To the middle. Aua with a steal. [Applause] Brunson passes to Hart. Hson for three. It’s rebounded by Los Angeles. Donic has got the glass covered here tonight. That’s 11 boards for him. Pass to Reeves. [Music] Now here’s Donic outside. Vanderbilt. Just five to shoot. Clea passes to Reed, puts up a deep three, unable to get that one. It’s never easy from that distance, but we see him drill those and shoot around all the time. Even though he is capable of hitting that shot, I’d like to see him work for a better look in that situation. There’s a double team with Vanderbilt. Back to Clarkson to tie it up. Nails it from beyond the arc. And that’ll tie this game up. Rise and fire away. This is Clarkson’s attitude as soon as he catches the run. And Donic has got the ball here for the Lakers to the paint. Here’s Vanderbilt. Blocked now. Brunson. Reed brings the double back to Brunson to take the lead. It’s held in by Luca Donuch. Los Angeles has gone two of four from the perimeter here in the fourth quarter [Applause] and he was fouled while in the act of shooting. So he’ll take two free throws. In this team’s offensive catalyst, Donic puts pressure on the defense every possession. Two shots. Take a break. Take a break. Two shots. [Applause] First free throw is good for the Knicks. Robinson, he’s checked in for Aua. And Carl Anthony Town subbed in for Clarkson. DeAndre Eaton, he’s checked in for the Lakers. LeBron comes in for Vanderbilt. Donic hits them both. The Knicks have gone four for 10 in the fourth. Bridges outside. Here’s Brunson. James with the block. And Brun with the block. Look, the shooters are working hard, but he is all over them. Donic passes to Reeves. Let’s go with a three. And Donic the bucket on the assist by Reeves. Three points. Reeves has got five assists tonight. He is pouring it in this quarter. Maybe double team of shoot at this point in time. Triple team the Duke. [Applause] Brunson against Duch outside. Brunson down to five on the shot clock. Brunson so confident at the rim and I like it. I mean using the strong frame Brunson pushes through the foul and sinks the shoti he’s checked in for hard 15 [Music] Jaylen but at the line one shot [Applause] the Lakers have gone six for 11 here in the fourth quarter. Aimura with a screen on Brunson. Here’s Donic. And that one is right through the hard. Donic has got 41. And I love Don’s shot selection. So smart at knowing when to shoot it. Bridges passes to Robinson outside. Anobi takes the three and Aiden pulls it down. Hayden’s got 11 rebounds in the game. Throws it up high and stolen by Brunson. Anobi on the wing. Outside Brunson. Rebounded by the Lakers. Donic with it. Pass to Reeves. James inside runs in defending. How about LeBron? Even if he’s no longer the clearcut best player in the league, he can still take over a game. RJ Oh, make no mistake. He’s still the best when he needs to be. Absolutely has a switch that gets flipped when he needs it. It’s not on for 48 minutes, but he can definitely turn it on for a few. He misses the free throw. [Applause] [Applause] And he’s good on the second. He couldn’t sink them all, but did just enough to make this a two-p possession ball game. Towns outside. [Music] Pass to Robinson. Brunson with it. Clock at six. Inside and a big finish by Robinson. Just outstanding distribution. This is the kind of team industry that you want to see. 99 now Reeves. Back to Donic. [Applause] Eight with a screen. He’s feeling it good as the jump shot falls. Dodic has got 43 points. Pick works well there, but the defense left a lot to be desired. Yeah, that just comes down to a lack of effort. The defender has to do a better job fighting through the screen. Baseline try. Brunson misses. Los Angeles leading by five. [Applause] Machimura left side. Pass to Aiden. Outside Reeves Donic with it. fires at the elbow. Count that buckle. And now a seven-point Laker lead. And how about the handles Luca has. Phenomenal at creating scoring opportunities for himself. Outside Brunson. Robinson. A screen on Donic to the inside. Yeah, big finish by Robinson. He’s a living highlight reel. Seriously, that could end up being one of the best dunks of the year. And Reeves has got the ball here for the Lakers. So, it’ll be two free throws. He was fouled in the active shooting. It’s going to be on OG Anobi. 13 foul. Austin Ring at the line. Two shots. Take a break. Take a break. Two shots. [Music] First one falls for him. [Applause] That one falls. So, he hits both of them. Here’s Brunson nearing 40 points in a dominant performance. Yeah, he’s been in attack mode all night. Donic pulls down the board. Donic has got a rebound number 15 here tonight. Donic on the wing. That falls. Nice feed that time from James. James has got his fourth assist in this one. [Music] Brunson against James. And it’s Brunson missing. Now Los Angeles with it. They’re on a 16-7 run. And the ball goes out of bounds. Last touch by Don. A classic breakdown with the ball, sending it right out of bounds and giving the defense a freebie. And that’s how you defend. Glad we had a chance to see a replay of that block again. Yeah, obviously he had the shot well anticipated. Able to shut it down with authority. Here’s Brunson. 136 left in the fourth. [Applause] takes it inside. Brunson slices through the D. And the defense had the right idea, but Brunson is able to push through the contact. 103. Donic against Brunson. Here’s Aiden. And the foul is called. He missed it. So, he’s got a couple of free throws coming his way. 14. DeAndre Aen at the line. Two shots. Shooting two [Music] and he misses the first one. Boy, he wanted that one to go. And I love the footwork Aton possesses. It’s what makes him so dangerous close to the rim. [Applause] And he does get the second one. And that stretches their lead to eight. New York. They’re working against the clock now. Here’s Brunson. It’s good. Brunson’s got 42 in the game. A huge make by Jaylen Brunson. Shining in the biggest of moments from deep. Here’s Donic. Carl Anthony Towns comes up with a rebound. New York has gone only one of four from the perimeter here in this fourth quarter. Anovi passes to Brunson. It’s rebounded by Los Angeles. Here’s Donic over Brunson. The Lakers with another miss. What a huge trip here. Absolutely. You can feel the energy in this arena. Count it. And now they trail by just four. Great teamwork on that drive. Punctuated by a strong finish. Yeah, that’s nice execution. Running with purpose and creating an easy scoring opportunity off the break. Donic outside. Six to shoot. Watimura [Applause] James. Good look. And he sinks that one. Hitting the back of the rim on the way. 12 seconds left in the fourth quarter. And he buries it. What a beautiful shot. Brings him within three. And so they choose to intentionally foul. getting a little desperate at this stage. I mean, the clock’s the big factor. New York foul. Male Bridges first personal foul. 15 foul. Austin Reed at the line. Two shots. He hits the first one and that gives him a four-point cushion. And so both free throws good and it’s a five-point game. Put a bow on this one. His composure at the line effectively ends it. Timeout called the Knicks. They’re down by five. What do you think is going to be their best move at this point? And they’re going to have to work fast coming out of the timeout. Yeah, no time to waste. They basically have to execute things perfectly from here on out. Towns for three. Oh, gets the free to fall. This is that modern big man play. Tall guys who are comfortable draining shots from deep. And we’ve got a timeout called by JJ Reick. There is a lot on the line and he is determined to make sure everyone’s on the same page. [Music] to the NBA. Wow. [Applause] 7 seconds left in the fourth and there’s the intentional foul. No choice but to stop the clock here. at the line. Two shots. [Applause] He gets the first and that makes it a three-point lead. He’s off on the free throw. Unable to get the second one to drop and looking to even the score with a huge three. That’s their only option. They have to get a good look from deep here. So, it’s a narrow victory for Heat. Heat. go one-on-one, but I think the key is to keep their teammates involved playing unselfish basketball. And now the Los Angeles starters. They’ve got Ruachimura. Luca Donic is out there with Austin Reeves. Then it’s DeAndre Aton. And it’s James in at the power forward position. Now here’s Towns for three. Bridges and Aiden pulls it down. Donic against Brunson. Donic outside. Kept alive and Aiden gets it to go. Not afraid to throw his big body around. Aiden good at keeping plays going. Gives us a chance to catch up with Alli Leforce. Tom Tibido gave me a few minutes to catch up with him and I asked about LeBron James and how his team plans to stop him. He said I told our guys that we can’t give him any lanes to the rim because when that happens everything else in this game opens up. We need to clog every avenue to the basket. Guys, let’s see if they’re able to execute the strategy. Thanks for that all able to keep his cool. Brunson doesn’t let the clock force his shot. Donic passes to Aimura. Brunson against Donic. Aton screen on Brunson inside. Oh, the block shot. Grabs it out of the air. Anobi against Donic. Anobi passes to Bridges. Outside Brunson. Screen by Robinson. three-pointer and it’s Brunson with the three. Brunson’s got five now. You know, some threes look better than others and Brunson’s lefty stroke from three is a beautiful thing. Donic finds Aimura and around two minutes played here in the first quarter. Reeves the pass to Aimura. Donic with it. Four on the clock. fires the three and it’s New York with the rebound. Oh, he really wanted that triple even though he missed. I really like the competitiveness I’ve seen. Towns outside, pulls it from the top of the key. Here’s Robinson and he goes in for the dunk. And this kind of sick slam is just one of the reasons this team is in charge of this game right now. You know, there’s an edge the way they played and a confidence they’re not afraid to show. Here’s Donuch. And so JJ Reic calls for the timeout. He’s going to talk it over with his guys. Things just aren’t going their way. He clearly wants to talk it over. Good time out if you ask me. They have the momentum and coach wants to get it to go. And here’s Bridges. He’ll bring it up for New York. and Reeves pulls it down. Lakers trail by five. Well, Grant, one thing about this Knicks team, they have a clear identity. Yeah, they have the mentality of their city, New York City, playing the game with passion and in yourface attitude. And of course, these Knicks leave it all out on the floor. And here we go, the Knicks in transition. And the basket by Bridges. Just nobody stopping Bridges from finishing the break. He’s just too much. Just under 3 and 1/2 minutes elapsed here in the first quarter. Boy, they need something to go to regain some confidence. No question. Way too many empty possessions for them. And here we go. The Knicks in transition and that one’s good. Brunson. Brunson’s got seven points in the game. And they’ve made themselves easy pickings. Sloppy ball control creates an easily converted turnover. James a screen on Brunson releases. Konic with the bucket. Got to fight harder to get over those screens. Yeah, as soon as these guys build contact, they are just disappearing like they’re not even there. You got to show some fire and keep defending. Now here’s Brunson. Seven points in the game. It’s Robinson high post down to five on the shot clock. And a foul called on the way up. So he’ll take two from the free throw line. First personal foul. Well, I don’t think anyone predicted that Jaylen Brunson would become the player he is today, Grant. Yeah, that’s for sure, BA. Or he definitely wouldn’t have been a second round pick. He’s a hard worker, a competitor, and an elite offensive player. That free throw no good. rebound. [Music] Good on the second one. Lakers trail by eight. Now here’s Donic. James. A screen on Brunson. Donic feeling it out a bit. Three-pointer. It’s hauled in by Robinson. Robinson’s got four rebounds now. Bridges on the attack. Tips it. Great positioning on the putback. Brunson’s got 10 points in the game. They’ve shown so much energy right from the start, particularly on the offensive end. They came out swinging. really setting the tone on offense and the opposition has not been able to respond. Now here’s Reeves. He’s scoreless. [Applause] Always a nice way to start. Makes his first one. I know what they say, defense wins championships, but you need some bucket givers, too. Now outside Robinson. James against Towns [Applause] tries again. The kick out to Brunson. Jacks up a three and Aiden pulls it down. That is not a guy you want to allow. Open looks for range. Lucky for the defense. He just couldn’t get it to go. Aiden a screen on Bridges. Reeves against Bridges. Donic outside. the put back. No luck on that one. He hasn’t been able to find his touch this quarter. Yeah, straight up, guys. Like these ice like freezing. What’s colder than cold? But you don’t have to shoot it, my guy. It’s okay to pass the ball. And we’ve got a timeout cold. [Applause] Here’s Reeves. They’ve been having major problems offensively. Definitely in a bit of a dry spell. [Applause] Pass to Aimura. [Applause] Back to Reeves. And that one goes out of bounds. Last touch by Reeves. And the fans love seeing incredible moments on defense like that block. Showing no signs of giving up this lead. That block sent shock waves into the opposition sails. [Applause] Knicks leading by 11. Outside Anobi. [Music] Here’s Robinson. He’s covered by Eaton. had an obvious screen on James and the officials will call the illegal screen here. The screener was leaning a bit right there. His feet may not have been planted. Pretty obvious call by the officials. Look, guys get away with this all the time, but on this occasion, he got caught. A moment to hear from Alli Leforce. Jaylen Brunson’s craft sets him apart. He said, quote, “I’ve always played with my instincts and tried to see the game a couple plays ahead. As I’ve gotten older, that part of my game has gotten wiser and better, but I’m still learning. Ryan, that’s a scary thought for the rest of the league. He’s already plenty dangerous. Ally, the Knicks have gone seven of 14 and looking in control. Brunson passes to Robinson. Here’s Bridges. And the officials call goal. So, they’ll award the basket. So far, they’re owning both ends of the floor. We’ll see if they can keep this goal. They came out and rushed them. Huge difference in activity level from both teams tonight. He’s getting his first free throw attempt of the game here. McBride, he’s checked in for Brunson. Smarts checked in for Los Angeles. [Applause] Well, Richard, he’s the iron man of the NBA right now. Male Bridges takes pride in being available on a nightly basis. We’ve all heard it before. The best ability is availability. And Bridges does whatever it takes to not miss games. More teams need to take this mindset. [Applause] Six to shoot. Here’s James. Nice finish, man. Big time right there. Yeah, just too much big boy basketball by LeBron James. Just bodying defenders inside. Now here’s Robinson. Pass to Ananobi outside. McBride. [Applause] Towns. A screen on Smart. Here’s McBride. Smart with the defensive effort. And here’s Smart. He’ll bring it up for the Lakers. Down by 12. And it’s in there. Got his second bucket of the game. That is a strong move by Aton. He is merciless in there. Anobi on the wing. [Applause] He’s in his comfort zone. Two for two to start this one. They’ve controlled the paint so far. That’s been the difference. It also allows them to play inside out, which will make them even more difficult to defend. Smart passes to Aiden. Hachimura outside and a miss there with a chance to cut the lead to single digits. Oh, there’s the alley out of bounds. Los Angeles will have it. There’s one. I’m not sure who messed up the pass, but look, somebody did. For the Knicks, Auas checked in for Robinson. Josh Hart comes in for Anobi and Jordan Clarkson subbed in for Mikuel Bridges. Lakers trail by 12. Pass to Smart. McBride on the double team. Here’s Connect from downtown that fall. Nice feed that time from James. Yeah, locked and loaded. Connect ready to launch. Clarkson passes to Hart. [Applause] Back to Clarkson. Shot clock at five. And he was fouled while in the act of shooting. So he’ll take two free throws. It’s on LeBron James. And at this stage of his career, Clarkson really knows his role. A highly effective scorer who looks to decimate defenses. [Applause] Take a break. Take a break. Two shots. [Music] And that one falls for Clarkson. Some changes for Los Angeles. Hayes has checked in for LeBron and Luca Donuch subbed in for Vincent. [Applause] [Applause] And so Clarkson nails both of them. Lakers trail by 11. Smart. Smart passes to Hayes. [Applause] Pass to Donic and he drops in the layup off the glass. Oluca is so skilled and using his body to create good looks inside. [Applause] On the wing, Clarkson guarded by Donic. Clarkson against Donic. 11 ft out. Vanderville pulls it in. How did he break that one? He smoked it. Everything was set up for that to be an easy battle. Donic. No good. You got to move past that one. I mean, they want him to take that again. Yeah, it’s a great look for him. One they’ll try and manufacture again. Those are the shots you want him to take. Clarkson gets rebounded by Los Angeles. He did the work to get inside, but still you have to finish. And here’s Donic outside again. Donic missing. Knicks leading by nine outside. Hart pass to Clarkson. Fires for three. Oh, it can’t sink it. He’s 0 for three. And the Lakers shooting only 37% early. Donic passes to Smart. [Music] Back to Donic. [Music] [Applause] It’s Smart on the wing. Shot clock at six. And that one’s good. Connect. We knew he was solid from range per the scouting report, but Connect can hit fairly consistently from out there. New York has gone two of five from deep. Clarkson passes to Aua. Donic against Clarkson. Aua with a screen from 15 ft away and it’s Clarkson missing. That was a good look for him from mid-range but just couldn’t make the defense pay. Pass to Smart. [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] Always a nice way to start. Makes his first one. Good work inside from Smart. It’s clear how confident he is close to the rim. Clarkson against Donic. Now here’s Clarkson. Not a lot of room, but Chua with a screen on Donic. Clarkson for three. Knocks it down from distance. Clarkson’s got five. Jordan, it’s been all about Jaylen Brunson for the Knicks. He put together 10 points in the quarter. Back after this. And for those of you just tuning in, second quarter action is where we are. All right, guys. What’s your take on the Knicks so far? Oh, what I love was that first quarter was all about leaking out and capitalizing in transition. It leads to some easy buckets and I think it’s given them control of the pace in this one. And you played for several different coaches with very different philosophies. Grant, did you have a favorite system? Well, you know, BA, I did. I played 19 years, a number of different coaches, but the 8 seconds or less offense back when I was with the Suns as a player, you want to run. And honestly, it’s so much fun getting up and down. They’ve got Jordan Clarkson. Aua is out there with Josh Hart. Then there’s Jaylen Brunson. And it’s Sims in at the center position. That’s the group for New York starting the second. And it’s Clarkson missing. And you don’t see that every day. Usually he’ll convert when he gets that close to the rim. Pass break. New York. Rebound. The Lakers. Vanderbilt’s got his fourth rebound in this one. Brunson against Donic. No good there with a step back. Jay. Another miss from him. Struggling to find his rhythm. Hard against Smart. Hard passes to Clarkson. Now Brunson up and over. Donic. New York again. Can’t hit. Credit the defensive effort there. Not giving him room to operate to the inside. Oh, deflected. Oh, and he got fouled on his way up. He’ll head to the line to shoot two. first person. You know, Grant, after losing in the first round last season, it felt like changes were inevitable for the Lakers. Yeah. Making the playoffs isn’t enough for that franchise. They are all about championship success, and anything short of that is a failure. The first free throw is good. Well, Grant, all the high hopes Knicks fans have had in recent years, they have finally come to fruition. Yeah, it really was good to see the Knicks have a great campaign last year. From the players to the coaches to the front office and the fans, they’ve pressed all the right buttons. Bates Deop. He’s checked in for New York. Donic hits them both. And Don is a walking triple double threat. His versatility and confidence is really special. Brunson taking his time here. [Music] Smart with the defensive effort. Lakers trail by three. To the paint. Cuts off the pass. Pass to Brunson. Here we go. and Brunson running the floor. And guys, let’s get your take on the hustle stats for the Knicks. From the very start of this game, they have been giving the ball handling using good pressure to turnovers and get and also I haven’t seen a lot of resistance from the defense when it comes to limiting their points in transition. Clea, he’s checked in for Hayes. That free throw good from Brunson. And here’s Donic. He’ll bring it up for Los Angeles in the second quarter. They’ve given up just three points. Hard against Vanderbilt. Pass to Donic. Donic throwing his weight around. That’s right. Oh my. Tight defense, but Donic just muscles it in. [Applause] Here’s Koolic. St gu start guarded by Donic. Aua passes to Brunson. Clarkson right side. Good on the shot. Larson’s got seven points. I mean, nothing you can do there. I mean, if Clarkson is going to make this, tip your cap to him. [Music] Donic passes to Smart. There’s a screen [Music] [Applause] and you can count it. He’ll go to the line with a chance at a three-point play attack himself. Los Angeles shooting their third free throw shot of the game and Los Angeles making a change here. Vincson’s checked in. Heat. Heat. [Music] [Applause] That one misses for Smart Grant. How about that in season tournament win for the Lakers in 2024? Yeah, honestly, it just makes sense that the first of those trophies would land with a historic franchise like the Lakers. When he gets a quality look like this, he can always be on [Applause] Smart. A screen on Clarkson. And here’s Dantic outside the Luca three. Lonnie, this is just fun. These teams are trading threes back and forth. This is today’s NBA. Hey, we see this kind of exchange more often than not. Hart from long range. Rebound by the Lakers. Benson right side. Donic outside and he loss it up top. Oh, that’s offensive interference. Interference. No basket. Eight. He’s checked in for Los Angeles. Reeves comes in for Smart. [Applause] Knicks leading by four. And here in the second quarter of action as we approach four minutes played Robinson a screen on Donic. Here’s Clarkson up top. Bridges pass to Clarkson. Second chance shot. It’s hard on the wing. The three ball sends it home from three-point land. Can’t ask for a cleaner look than that. And they’ll make it pay. Lakers trail by seven. 31 outside Reeves from deep. Here’s Donic and the Lakers hit again from deep. And look at Luca now getting aggressive at the arc. He was eager to answer that last three. [Music] Clarkson passes to Brunson. Fades away and Aiden pulls it down. Aiden’s got his fourth rebound in this one. Donic outside. Left side Reeds and stolen by Bridges. Pass to Clarkson. And it’s Bridges with the jam. It’s a classic play the opening. Lakers trail by six outside. Vanderbilt. Now here’s Aiden. Robinson defending the fadeaway. Eightton no good. Great contest by the defense and he’s unable to hit that tough fadeaway. Hard finds Brunson and a big finish by Robinson. That’s such good vision from Brunson. He’s able to spot a guy ready to trees. [Music] [Applause] The pass to Aiden. [Applause] Soft touch off the glass. Aiden’s got six points. That’s been the story of their offense so far. Getting a number of looks from point blank range. And they double up Brunson. Clarkson outside. Screen by Robinson down low. Three shots, three baskets. Great efficiency so far. Use the pick to perfection and got all the way to the rim. Here’s Vincent. No points yet. Pass to Donic. And there’s the lob. Oh, and the jam by Aiden. He’s a nimble guy for someone with that size. Aiden can get off of his feet quick for a lock. And from the sideline, let’s catch up with Allie. Thanks, Brian. The Knicks, one of the top defensive teams in the league, and it starts in the paint. Coach Tom Thibido said, quote, “We’ve prided ourselves on having a tight shell. We’ve got great rim protection, guys who take charges, and we’re aggressive on the ball.” Guys, great defense has always been Tib, and nothing has changed now. Thanks, Ally. Now, here’s Robinson. Six points for him. Pass to Clarkson. Six on the shot clock. Hard passes to Brunson from about 19 with one on the clock. Oh yes. Throw it down. Wow. That type of finish is just deflating right now. 14 just trying to make a comeback. Ouch. That’s certainly a big time finish right there. It was one big comes in for Brunson and it’s OG at it in for Clarkson. LeBron, he’s checked in for the Lakers. Aimura comes in for Luca Donuch. [Applause] Knicks leading by six now. Anobi five points in the game. Pass to Bridges. Now here’s Hart. Screen by Bridges. [Music] The three and that’s his fourth bucket of the game in seven attempts. Obviously Bridges has practiced this little to the board game. Here’s James. Yes, he still got it. LeBron. Hey, kept it simple. No reason to get fancy right now. Ba. Yeah, he’s just looking to find shots and produce for his team. Pass to Robinson. Anobi against Reeves. Robinson. A screen on Reeves. Back to Robinson. And a big finish by Robinson. And that’s a double double for him now. And that’s how literally James outside the screen on Towns. Aiden controls the rebound and the put back. That’s the thing about Aiden is so hard to keep him off the glass. Bridges with it. 10 points for him to the middle. Kicks it out. out the three and the Knicks another three and just totally relentless only increasing the intensity level. Always plays hard until the final whistle no matter what situation 44. Now here’s Reeds. Here’s Aiden. Now seven for nine after that make. We’re seeing the full range of Aiden’s offensive skills tonight. The big man’s putting on a show outside Anobi. Back to Bridges. Pass to Robinson. Hard against Aimura. Five on the clock. Hard passes to Towns. Here’s Anobi. Rebounded by the Lakers. Aton’s got his sixth rebound on the night. To the paint. Stolen by Anobi. Fast break. New York. He’s all alone. throw it down on the breakaway jam and just good hustle. Always nice to get an easy bucket on the break and making sure they convert by finishing strong. Pass to Aimura to the inside. Here’s James and slam dunk by James. This is classic LeBron leaping off the floor for a powerful dunk. Richard, it’s nice to have the versatility of a guy like Hachimura. equally comfortable in either forward position. Well, he’s got the size and strength of a modernday NBA power court, but he also has the ability to stretch the floor and knock down a three. That’s a nice combination. And Reeves has got the ball here for the Los Angeles Lakers. It’s a 10-point game. Pass to James. So, it’ll be two free throws. He was fouled in the active shooting. It’s going to go on Mitchell Robinson. He’s not afraid of getting physical. I like how James has no problem setting the contact while trying to score. [Applause] [Applause] That one’s off. But Grant, even though it looks like LeBron could play forever, he stated that he doesn’t have much time left. Well, it’s unbelievable that he sustained this level of excellence for as long as he has. I would be surprised if we see this type of longevity ever again. New York making a switch here. McBride’s checked in. And the second free throw is good. And when you think of LeBron, his competitive spirit is to me the first thing that comes to mind. All this guy wants to do is win all the time. Now here’s Towns inside. And he got the whistle on the way up. So he’ll be headed to the line for a pair. And Male Bridges still one of the better wing defenders in the league. Grant. Yeah, he’s so great at pestering the shooter. Good lateral movement and wingspan makes him hard to get around. He might not be the best in the league, but he is well above average. [Applause] No good on the free throw. I consider Mikuel Bridges a high motor player. He’s always ready to turn up his energy if he thinks it will help him get the better of you. and he sinks the second. Here’s Reeves and 101 left in the first half of this one. Aimura outside. Back to Reeves. Vincson outside. Aiden inside working on Robinson. Aimura outside. Two on the clock and there’s James from the ark. Carl Anthony Towns comes up with a rebound. Towns has got his sixth rebound on the night. McBride with it now guarded by Aiden. Outside McBride. Pass for Robinson. Towns for three, knocks down the triple. Towns has got six in the quarter. And that’s what makes Towns so dangerous offensively. He’s a threat even when he’s playing off the ball. 6249. Aiden with a screen, a three. James on target from range. James has got 10. And that’s how you up the ante. Come right back at him. Now right there and I’m down for my return. And we finished off one half a play out in front. They’re up by 10. And we’ll be right back after halftime for the start of the third quarter. See you in just a bit. And it’s Achi Mura in at the small forward position. Now here’s Bridges. Pass to Brunson. Now Anobi. Now Towns. He’s covered by Reeves. Bridges outside from behind the ark and Aiden pulls it down. Lakers trail by 10. Outside Reeves back to Donic. Aimura with the ball. Outside Reeves takes a three and Anobi pulls it down. And so Anobi will bring it up for New York. Here’s Bridges. It’s rebounded by Los Angeles. Donic has got rebound number five here tonight. Outside Reeves pass to Donic. Aiden the screen on Bridges from deep. Here’s Donic. Sinks it from distance. Donic has got 17 points. encouraging to see Donic sink the three. Needs to keep doing this now. Here’s Brunson. Brunson with the finish inside. And despite the height disadvantage, oh my just interior, really unfaced. Throw his height right out the window. Bridges with it. Picked up by Reeves. Here’s Brunson. Rebound by the Lakers. Donic has got six rebounds now in the game. Reeves up top. Pass to Donic. There’s the three. The Knicks with the rebound. And this is exactly who you want taking that shot. He just missed it. Brunson finds Bridges and Anobi for three and Aiden pulls it down. Aiden’s got his eighth rebound here tonight. Physical play by LeBron inside. A powerful move by LeBron inside, not letting anything stop him from getting his shot. Pass to Robinson. [Music] Towns left side. It’s going to be on LeBron James. LeBron James. That’s his third foul so far. Third personal foul. First team foul. A touch over two and a half minutes of basketball played here in the third quarter and stolen by Reeves. Good instincts to read the path and get in a position to pick it off. Aimura the pass to James and it’s good as he snugs it right through the net. That’s right. And now just a five-point lead. Just zero hesitation from Dane. Trusting his shot to the right side. Towns right side. Shot clock at six. Pass to Bridges. The baseline Jay is on the way. And Hannah Noi gets it to go on the assist by Bridges. Nice job to recognize the lack of tea in that medium range area. Brunson against Donic. Second half here and we’re just over three and 1/2 minutes into it. Knicks leading by seven. [Applause] Bridges outside Brunson. Pass to Robinson. Anovi on the wing. Towns against James. The kick out to Brunson. Stats in coming off an assist from Towns. Brunson’s got five points now this quarter. And no matter how the D’s coming at him tonight, Brunson has adapted. And that’s what great scorers do. They figure it out now. Here’s Reeves. Reeves with a screen on Brunson from deep. Here’s Donic. Ooh, Donic with the response. Man, this is just fun. These teams are trading threes back and forth. This is today’s NBA. Hey, we see this kind of exchange more often than not. Here’s Brunson. 18 points for him. [Music] A sturdy finish from Brunson. A flashy ball handler. At times Brunson knows how to carve up scoring opportunities for himself. [Applause] Bridges against Reeds. Oh, he powers right through the defender for the dunk. Draws the foul too and he’ll go to the line. Jaylen Brunson picks one up. Have a look now at how the offensive approach has been going here so far for the Knicks. The name of the game in the modern NBA is making threes, spacing the court, and that’s exactly what they are doing tonight. Yeah. Another thing you notice are all the assist. The ball just has energy and everyone is getting involved. That’s good from Donic. And so it’s Brunson with it. He brings it up for New York [Applause] from the arc and Aiden pulls it down. Aiden’s got nine rebounds in the game. Boy, he’s getting it done down low. Here’s James and it’s James with the jam. And once he gets to the rim, it’s fairly automatic. Nothing fancy right there. just takes the two points, moves on, and we’ll have a timeout called by Tom Thibido. He wants a few moments to regroup with his players. Hson’s checked in for Anobi and the Lakers also making a change. Smarts checked in. [Applause] [Applause] Towns outside to the wing on the left. Oh, rejected by Eightton. So difficult to shoot over. Eighton proving it with that rejection. Donic with it and Clarkson picks him up defensively. Luca proving he can score from anywhere. When he decides he wants to take it to the bucket, it’s really hard for anyone to slow him down. In 2024, Luca Donic recorded six consecutive 30point triple double games. That’s right, BA. The first time anyone has done it in NBA history. So, if you didn’t already believe in Luca Magic, well, there’s some proof that the magic is real. Three on the clock. Robinson can’t hit. The Lakers trail. Oh, what a performance offensively. They’re really rolling at that end. Excellent game play. Here’s Donic. And there’s another one for the Lakers. And their offense tonight is Luca, Luca, and more Luca. When he’s on, it’s an opponent’s worst nightmare. Bridges outside. And miss after miss right now. The Lakers have gone eight of 12 from the floor in the third quarter. And slam dunk by James. [Applause] [Music] New York trailing. And here’s Brunson. Give him 20 to stop the drought. Jump shot is good that time. Brunson’s got nine points now in the second half. And you just can’t let Brunson get to his spot. I mean, he’s an excellent mid-range shooter. [Music] [Applause] Reeves against Bridges. James outside [Applause] to the paint. Here’s Aiden. Towns with a rebound. New York has gone one of four here in the third from Ray. Bridges finds Brunson. [Applause] [Applause] bounces high off the rim and drops. Brunson’s got 11 points in the quarter. The lefty getting it to go Jaylen Brunson once again. Here’s Smart. Oh my goodness. Smart with a tough finish. He’s having a good night from the field. Now, I know the defense is really keying in on him, but they need him involved if they’re going to pull this out. Towns passes to Clarkson looking to get back on track. Can’t cash it in from close range. Los Angeles has gone two of six from downtown here in the second half. And here’s Bridges. He’ll bring it up for the New York Knicks. They’ve led by as many as 14. Brunson against Donic and a foul called on the way up. So he’ll take two from the free throw line. It’s on LeBron James. And you have to avoid getting too physical with Brunson because he’ll get these calls. And this is his third trip to the line tonight. [Applause] Then he drops it first. New York making a switch here. Hart’s checked in. Hayes is checked in for Los Angeles. Vanderbilt comes in for LeBron. hits one then misses the second attempt from the line. They’re ahead for now, but that miss could come back to bite them on the wing. Reeves. He’s guarded by Bridges. Reeves pass to Donic. Reeves with the screen on Brunson. Back to Reeves. Gets 10. [Applause] Count it. Good. Austin Reeves has gotten his second bucket. [Applause] New York has gone one of four here in the third from Reeds. [Applause] Downs a screen on Smart. Smart against Brunson. Bridges outside. Back to Brunson. Five to shoot. Hart from long range gets rebounded by Los Angeles. Pass to Donic. [Applause] Back to Reeves over Bridges. The shot by Reeves. No good. A tight one here in New York City. Now it’s hard. It’s Bridges on the wing. He’s covered by Reeves. And here’s Brunson from the arc. It’s hauled in by Luca Donic. Donic has got nine rebounds now. Reeves with the ball. Lets it go from deep. That one called. Great set up by Donic. Donic has got four assists in the game. You can tell Donic trusts his teammates. He’ll get them looks and doesn’t insist on doing everything himself. Now here’s Brunson. 25 points in the game. Clarkson outside. Bridges left side. Here’s Brunson deflected. That’s why you always got to get a hand up. You never Great anticipation and extra effort. He got in excellent position and takes it right back up. Smart against Brunson. Pass to Donic and they doubled up Donic. Now Vanderbilt [Applause] smart for three. Art pulls it in. Nicks shooting just about 33% since the second half started. And here’s Bridges [Applause] outside. Hartson for three. Rebound. The Lakers. Oh man, he can’t get anything to fall. You can feel his frustration. Yeah, right now he’s just in his own head. Not much you can do to try and push through it. And New York shooting 44%. A pretty decent clip. Here’s Hart. Oh, that doesn’t go on the chance to tie. Donic against Clarkson. Now here’s Donic. He’s closely guarded. Hayes with a screen on Clarkson inside and finished off by Hayes. He’s just an aggressive finisher there inside. Hey, when you got bounced like that, you feel like you can take on anybody. Oh, what a performance by Luca Donic. He has been the story for Los Angeles. Dominating on the glass. What a quarter. We’ll be right back with you shortly. All right, let’s take a look at our assist of the game presented by State Farm. You can count on him to deliver a few assists like this one each and every night. And the ability to drop your jaw with the pass is something you rarely see in this league. What a talent he is. Well, this has been a great contest so far. I imagine the fourth quarter could have more action in store for us. We’ve got a Chua Miles McBride is out there with Jaylen Brunson. Then it’s Jordan Clarkson and his heart in at the four. That’s who’s on the floor for the Knicks. And this is just typical of him always making an impact at crucial moments in the game. And his team needs every bit of his production if they want to pull this one out. It is neck and neck here in the final period. Benson can’t hit. New York trailing. McBride passes to Brunson to the inside to tie it up. Pua, no good. That would have tied it. Got the ball where he wanted it, but then got swarmed. At some point, you need to know when to stop shooting. Just too many misses piling up for him. From deep. Here’s Donic. And the three-pointer goes. Donic has got 16 points here in the second half. That’s a clutch shot by a big time shooter and where’s the D [Music] outside Brunson and so he draws the foul and to the line to shoot a pair. He’ll challenge any defender. Brunson going right after it inside. Jaylen had a moment to check out the scoring breakdown for the Lakers. Look, they’re getting good looks inside. It’s been a point of emphasis all night long, but I love this hard-nosed attitude of this team. Yeah. The other thing they’re doing is absolutely scorching the net. Redot from outside all game long. And the first one at the line is good. Clea, he’s checked in for Hayes. and that’s good as he hits both shots. The Lakers lead by three. [Applause] Vincent outside pass to Donic with the fadeaway again. The Lakers score and there’s Luca, one of the most entertaining players in the league. Here’s Brunson. The Lakers with a rebound. Vanderbilt’s got five rebounds in the game. Donic outside. misses the jumper for New York. They’ve got only one of five to fall here in the fourth. Pass to Clarkson looking to end this cold spell. And the bucket counts and he is on his way to the line. So he’ll try to make it a three-point play. Defensive foul charge to Dalton Bridges. He’s checked in for New York. Austin Reeves has checked in for Los Angeles. Team foul. Jordan Fox at the line. One shot. And that one falls for Clarkson. And Reeves has got the ball here for the Lakers. The lead is two. Donic on the wing. And they doubled up. Donic. Just five on the clock. The Lakers got to get one up. Late clock. And here’s Reeves outside. Gets the three ball to go. And the Lakers lead by five. And what kind of defense was that? You can’t give up wide open threes like that. doing. Bridges feeling it out a little bit. Oh, a beautiful reverse layup. A nimble play by Bridges inside, navigating the contact getting to his finish. Pass to Donic. [Music] Oh, look at Luca taking the contact and finishing strong. Oh, nice feed on time and on target. Outside Brunson Bridges a screen on Donic. Here’s Brunson. Oh, and there’s the whistle on the shot. So, two free throws for him coming up. First personal Jared Vanderbilt picks one up. Yeah, you never want to let shots at the rim go from contestant at the line. Two shots. [Applause] That free throw good from Brunson. [Applause] here in the fourth quarter. Just under two and a half gone by. Donic passes to Reeds. Here’s the pick. Pulls up and it’s Brunson with the rebound. Brunson’s got five rebounds tonight. Oh, it’s stolen by Donic. And it’s the Lakers on the break. Has to connect. Yes, it’s good. And the Lakers lead by five. Love to see him inside passing like this as well as guys being on the same page. Donic against Brunson. Bridges. A screen on Donic. Here’s Brunson and he’s going to the line for two. The officials saw contact while he was going up. Fourth team foul. Jaylen Brunson at the line. Two shots. [Applause] [Applause] That free throw good from Brunson. [Applause] 12 free throws good from Brunson. He’s making the most of every trip to the line, providing for his team [Applause] to the middle. Aua with a steal. [Applause] Brunson passes to Hart. Clarkson for three. It’s rebounded by Los Angeles. Donic has got the glass covered here tonight. That’s 11 boards for him. Pass to Reeves. [Music] Now here’s Dantic outside. Vanderbilt just five to shoot. Clea passes to Reed puts up a deep three. Unable to get that one. It’s never easy from that distance. But we see him drill those and shoot around all the time. Even though he is capable of hitting that shot, I’d like to see him work for a better look in that situation. There’s a double team with Vanderbilt. Back to Clarkson to tie it up. Nails it from beyond the arc and that’ll tie this game up. Rise and fire away. This is Clarkson’s attitude as soon as he catches the rock. And Donic has got the ball here for the Lakers to the paint. Here’s Vanderbilt. Blocked now. Brunson. Reeves brings the double back to Brunson. [Applause] to take the lead. It’s held in by Luca Donuch. Los Angeles has gone two of four from the perimeter here in the fourth quarter [Applause] and he was fouled while in the act of shooting. So he’ll take two free throws. In this team’s offensive catalyst, Donic puts pressure on the defense every possession. Two shots. Take a break. Take a break. Two shots. [Applause] First free throw is good for the Knicks. Robinson. He’s checked in for a Chua. and Carl Anthony Town subbed in for Clarkson. DeAndre Aton, he’s checked in for the Lakers. LeBron comes in for Vanderbilt. Donic hits them both. The Knicks have gone four for 10 in the fourth. Bridges outside. Here’s Brunson. James with the block. And Brun with the block. Look, the shooters are working hard, but he is all over them. Donic passes to Reeds. Let’s go with a three and Donic the bucket on the assist by Reeves. Three points. Reeves has got five assists tonight. He is pouring it in this quarter. Maybe double team shoot at this point in time. Triple team to do. [Applause] Brunson against Duch outside. Brunson down to five on the shot clock. Brunson so confident at the rim and I like it. I mean using the strong frame pushes through the foul and sinks the shot. He’s checked in for hard D. 15 foul Jaylen Butson at the line. One shot. [Applause] The Lakers have gone six for 11 here in the fourth quarter. Hachimura with a screen on Brunson. Here’s Donic. And that one is right through the hard. Donic has got 41. And I love Donic’s shot selection. So smart at knowing when to shoot it. Bridges passes to Robinson. Outside Anobi takes the three and Aiden pulls it down. Aiden’s got 11 rebounds in the game. Throws it up high and stolen by Brunson. Anovi on the wing. Outside Brunson. [Music] Rebounded by the Lakers. Donic with it. Pass to Reeves. James inside. Runs in defending. How about LeBron? Even if he’s no longer the clearcut best player in the league, he can still take over a game. RJ. Oh, make no mistake. He’s still the best when he needs to be. Absolutely. Has a switch that gets flipped when he needs it. It’s not on for 48 minutes, but he can definitely turn it on for a few. [Applause] [Applause] And he’s good on the second. He couldn’t sink them all, but did just enough to make this a two-p possession ball game. Towns outside. [Music] Pass to Robinson. Brunson with it. Clock at six. Inside and a big finish by Robinson. Just outstanding distribution. This is the kind of team chemistry that you want to see. 99. Now Reeves. Back to Donic. Aiden with a screen. He’s feeling it good as the jump shot falls. Donic. Donic has got 43 points. Pick works well there, but the defense left a lot to be desired. Yeah, that just comes down to a lack of effort. The defender has to do a better job fighting through the screen. Baseline drive. Brunson misses. Los Angeles leading by five. [Applause] Machimura left side. Pass to Aiden outside. Reeves. Donic with it. Fires at the elbow. Count that bucket. Punch it. And now a seven-point Laker lead. And how about the handles Luca has? phenomenal at creating scoring opportunities for himself. Outside Brunson Robinson a screen on Donic to the inside. Big finish by Robinson. He’s a living highlight reel. Seriously, that could end up being one of the best dunks of the year. And Reeves has got the ball here for the Lakers. So, it’ll be two free throws. He was fouled in the act of shooting. It’s going to be on OG Anomi. 13. Austin Reeds at the line. Two shots. Take a break. Take a break. Two shots. [Music] First one falls for him. [Applause] That one falls. So, he hits both of them. Here’s Brunson nearing 40 points in a dominant performance. Yeah, he’s been in attack mode all night. Donic pulls down the board. Donic has got a rebound number 15 here tonight. Donic on the wing. That falls. Nice speed that time from James. James has got his fourth assist in this one. [Music] Brunson against James and it’s Brunson missing now Los Angeles with it. They’re on a 16-7 run and the ball goes out of bounds. Last touch by Dodgers. A classic breakdown with the ball sending it right out of bounds and giving the defense a freebie. And that’s how you defend. Glad we had a chance to see a replay of that block again. Yeah, obviously he had the shot well anticipated. able to shut it down with the Ford. Here’s Brunson. 136 left in the fourth. Takes it inside. Brunson slices through the D. And the defense had the right idea, but Brunson is able to push through the contact. 103. Donic against Brunson. Here’s Aiden. And the foul is called. He missed it. So he’s got a couple of free throws coming his way. 14 foul DeAndre A at the line. Two shots. [Applause] Shoot two. [Music] And he misses the first one. Boy, he wanted that one to go. And I love the footwork possesses. It’s what makes him so dangerous close to the rim. [Applause] And he does get the second one. And that stretches their lead to eight. New York. They’re working against the clock now. Here’s Brunson. It’s good. Brunson’s got 42 in the game. A huge make by Jaylen Brunson. Shining in the biggest of moments from deep. Here’s Donic. Carl Anthony Towns comes up with the rebound. New York has gone only one of four from the perimeter here in this fourth quarter. Anobi passes to Brunson. It’s rebounded by Los Angeles. Here’s Donic over Brunson. The Lakers with another miss. What a huge trip here. Absolutely. You can feel the energy in this arena. Count it. And now they trail by just four. Great teamwork on that drive punctuated by a strong finish. Yeah, that’s nice execution. Running with purpose and creating an easy scoring opportunity off the break. Donic outside. Six to shoot out to Mura. James a good look and he sinks that one hitting the back of the rim on the way. 12 seconds left in the fourth quarter. And he buries it. What a beautiful shot. Brings him within three. And so they choose to intentionally foul. Getting a little desperate at this stage. I mean clocks the big New York foul. Male Bridges first personal foul. 15 foul. Austin Reeds at the line. Two shots. He hits the first one. And that gives him a four-point cushion. And so both free throws good. And it’s a five-point game. Put a bow on this one. His composure at the line effectively ends it. Timeout called the Knicks. They’re down by five. What do you think is going to be their best move at this point? And they’re going to have to work fast coming out of the timeout. Yeah, no time to waste. They basically have to execute things perfectly from here on out. Towns for three. Oh, gets him free to fall. This is that modern big man play. Tall guys who are comfortable draining shots from deep. And we’ve got a timeout called by JJ Reick. There is a lot on the line. and he is determined to make sure everyone’s on the same page. [Music] The NBA Wow. [Applause] 7 seconds left in the fourth and there’s the intentional foul. No choice but to stop the clock here at the line. Two shots. [Applause] He gets the first and that makes it a three-point lead. He’s off on the free throw. Unable to get the second one to drop and looking to even the score with a huge three. That’s their only option. They have to get a good look from deep here. So, it’s a narrow victory for go one-on-one, but I think the key is to keep their teammates involved playing unselfish basketball. And now the Los Angeles starters. They’ve got Rui Achimura. Luca Donic is out there with Austin Reeves. Then it’s DeAndre Aiden and it’s James in at the power forward position. Now here’s Towns for three. Bridges and Aiden pulls it down. Donic against Brunson. Donic outside. Kept alive and Aiden gets it to go. not afraid to throw his big body around. Aiden good at keeping plays going. Gives us a chance to catch up with Alli Leforce. Tom Tibido gave me a few minutes to catch up with him and I asked about LeBron James and how his team plans to stop him. He said I told her guys that we can’t give him any lanes to the rim because when that happens, everything else in his game opens up. We need to clog every avenue to the basket. Guys, let’s see if they’re able to execute the strategy. Thanks for that, Ally. able to keep his cool. Brunson doesn’t let the clock force his shot. Donic passes to Aimura. Brunson against Donicon. A screen on Brunson inside. Oh, the block shot. Grabs it out of the air. Anobi against Donic. Evan Obi passes to Bridges outside Brunson. Screen by Robinson. Three-pointer and it’s Brunson with the three. Brunson’s got five now. You know, some threes look better than others and Brunson’s lefty stroke from three is a beautiful thing. Donic finds Aimura. And around two minutes played here in the first quarter. Reeves the pass to Aimura. Donic with it. Four on the clock. Fires the three and it’s New York with a rebound. Oh, he really wanted that triple even though he missed. I really like the competitiveness I’ve seen. Towns outside, pulls it from the top of the key. Here’s Robinson and he goes in for the dunk. And this kind of sick slam is just one of the reasons this team is in charge of this game right now. BA, you know, there’s an edge the way they played and a confidence they’re not afraid to show. Here’s Donic. And so JJ Reic calls for the timeout. He’s going to talk it over with his guys. Things just aren’t going their way. He clearly wants to talk it over. Good timeout if you ask me. They have the momentum and coach wants to get it to go. And here’s Bridges. He’ll bring it up for New York. And Reeves pulls it down. Lakers trail by five. Well, Grant, one thing about this Knicks team, they have a clear identity. Yeah, they have the mentality of their city. New York City playing the game with passion and in yourface attitude. And of course, these Knicks leave it all out on the floor. And here we go. Oh, the Knicks in transition and the basket by Bridges. Bridges just nobody stopping Bridges from finishing the break. He’s just too much. Just under three and 1/2 minutes elapsed here in the first quarter. Boy, they need something to go to regain some confidence. No question. Way too many empty possessions for them. And here we go. The Knicks in transition. And that one’s good. Brunson. Brunson’s got seven points in the game. And they’ve made themselves easy pickings. Sloppy ball control creates an easily converted turnover. James a screen on Brunson releases Kic with the bucket. Got to fight harder to get over those screens. Yeah, as soon as these guys build contact, they are just disappearing like they’re not even there. You got to show some fire and keep defending. Now here’s Brunson. Seven points in the game. It’s Robinson high post. Down to five on the shot clock and a foul called on the way up. So he’ll take two from the free throw line. First personal foul. Well, I don’t think anyone predicted that Jaylen Brunson would become the player he is today. Grant. Yeah, that’s for sure. BA or he definitely wouldn’t have been a second round pick. He’s a hard worker, a competitor, and an elite offensive player. That free throw no good. Good. [Applause] [Music] Good on the second one. Lakers trail by eight. Now here’s Donic. James. A screen on Brunson. Donic feeling it out a bit. Three-pointer. It’s hauled in by Robinson. Robinson’s got four rebounds now. Bridges on the attack. Tips it. Great positioning on the put back. Brunson’s got 10 points in the game. They’ve shown so much energy right from the start, particularly on the offensive end. They came out swinging, really setting the tone on offense, and the opposition has not been able to respond. Now here’s Reeds. He’s scoreless. [Applause] Always a nice way to start. Makes his first one. I know what they say, defense wins championships, but you need some bucket givers, too. Now, outside Robinson James against Towns [Applause] tries again. The kick out to Brunson. Jacks up a three and Aiden pulls it down. That is not a guy you want to allow open looks for range. Lucky for the defense, he just couldn’t get it to go. Aton the screen on Bridges. Reeves against Bridges. Donic outside. The put back. No luck on that one. He hasn’t been able to find his touch this quarter. Yeah, straight up, guys. Like these ice balls like freezing. What’s colder than cold? But you don’t have to shoot it, my guy. It’s okay to pass the ball. And we’ve got a timeout called. [Applause] Here’s Reeves. They’ve been having major problems offensively. Definitely in a bit of a dry spell. [Applause] Pass to Aimura. [Applause] Back to Reeves. And that one goes out of bounds. Last touch by Reeves. And the fans love seeing incredible moments on defense like that block. Showing no signs of giving up this lead. That block sent shock waves into the opposition sails. [Applause] Knicks leading by 11. Outside Anobi. [Music] Here’s Robinson. He’s covered by Aiden. Anobi. A screen on James. And the officials will call the illegal screen here. The screener was leaning a bit right there. His feet may not have been planted. Pretty obvious call by the officials. Look, guys get away with this all the time, but on this occasion, he got caught. A moment to hear from Ally Leforce. Jaylen Brunson’s craft sets him apart. He said, quote, “I’ve always played with my instincts and tried to see the game a couple plays ahead. As I’ve gotten older, that part of my game has gotten wiser and better, but I’m still learning.” Ryan, that’s a scary thought for the rest of the league. He’s already plenty dangerous, all the Knicks have gone seven to 14 and looking in control. Brunson passes to Robinson. Here’s Bridges. And the officials called goalending, so they’ll award the basket. So far, they’re owning both ends of the floor. We’ll see if they can keep this goal. They came out and rushed them. Huge difference in activity level from both teams tonight. He’s getting his first free throw attempt of the game here. McBride, he’s checked in for Brunson. Smarts checked in for Los Angeles. [Applause] Well, Richard, he’s the iron man of the NBA right now. Male Bridges takes pride in being available on a nightly basis. We’ve all heard it before. The best ability is availability, and Bridges does whatever it takes to not miss games. More teams need to take this mindset. [Applause] Six to shoot. Here’s James. Nice finish, man. Big time right there. Yeah, just too much big boy basketball by LeBron James. Just bonding defenders inside. Now here’s Robinson. Pass to Ananobi outside. McBride. Towns. A screen on Smart. Here’s McBride. Smart with the defensive effort. And here’s Smart. He’ll bring it up for the Lakers. Down by 12 and it’s in there. Eightton’s gotten his second bucket of the game. That is a strong move by eight. He is merciless in there. Anobi on the wing. [Applause] He’s in his comfort zone. Two for two to start this one. They’ve controlled the paint so far. That’s been the difference. didn’t also allow them to play inside out which will make them even more difficult to defend. Smart passes to Aiden Hachimura outside and a miss there with a chance to cut the lead to single digits. Oh, there’s the alley out of bounds. Los Angeles will have it. There’s one. I’m not sure who messed up the pass, but look, somebody did. For the Knicks, Auas checked in for Robinson. Josh Hart comes in for Anobi and Jordan Clarkson subbed in for Mikuel Bridges. Lakers trail by 12. Pass to Smart. McBride on the double team. Here’s Connect from downtown. Nice feed that time from James. Yeah, locked and loaded. Connect ready to launch. Clarkson passes to Hart. [Applause] Back to Clarkson. Shot clock at five. [Applause] And he was fouled while in the act of shooting. So he’ll take two free throws. It’s on LeBron James. And at this stage of his career, Clarkson really knows his role. A highly effective scorer who looks to decimate defenses. [Applause] Take a break. Take a break. Two shots. Let’s get it. Good. here. And that one falls for Clarkson. Some changes for Los Angeles. Hayes is checked in for LeBron. And Luca Donuch subbed in for Vincent. [Applause] [Applause] And so Clarkson nails both of them. Lakers trail by 11. Smart passes to Hayes. [Applause] Pass to Donic and he drops in the layup off the glass. Luca is so skilled at using his body to create good looks inside. [Applause] on the wing. Clarkson guarded by Donic. Clarkson against Donic. 11 ft out. Vanderbilt pulls it in. How did he break that one? He smoked it. Everything was set up for that to be an easy battle. No good. You got to move past that one. I mean, they’d want him to take that again. Yeah, it’s a great look for him. one will try and manufacture again. Those are the shots you want him to take. Clarkson gets rebounded by Los Angeles. He did the work to get inside, but still you have to finish. And here’s Donic outside again. Donic missing. Knicks leading by nine. Outside Hart pass to Clarkson. Fires for three. Oh, it can’t sink it. He’s 0 for three. And the Lakers shooting only 37% early. Donic passes to Smart. [Music] Back to Donic. [Music] [Applause] It’s Smart on the wing. Shot clock at six. And that one’s good. Connect. We knew he was solid from range per the scouting report, but Connect can hit fairly consistently from out there. New York has gone two five from deep. Clarkson passes to Aua. Donic against Clarkson. Aua with a screen from 15 ft away. And it’s Clarkson missing. That was a good look for him from mid-range but just couldn’t make the defense pay. Fast to smart. [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] Always a nice way to start. Makes his first one. Good work inside from Smart. It’s clear how confident he is close to the rim. Clarkson against Dodic. Now here’s Clarkson. Not a lot of room, but Chua with a screen on Donic. Clarkson for three. Knocks it down from distance. Clarkson’s got five. Jordan. It’s been all about Jaylen Brunson for the Knicks. He put together 10 points in the quarter. Back after this. And for those of you just tuning in, second quarter action is where we are. All right, guys. What’s your take on the Knicks so far? Oh, what I love was that first quarter was all about leaking out and capitalizing in transition. It leads to some easy buckets, and I think it’s given them control of the pace in this one. And you played for several different coaches with very different philosophies. Grant, did you have a favorite system? Well, you know, BA, I did. I played 19 years, a number of different coaches, but the 8 seconds or less offense back when I was with the Suns as a player, you want to run. And honestly, it’s so much fun getting up and down the Jordan Clarkson. Aua is out there with Josh Hart. Then there’s Jaylen Brunson. And it’s Sims in at the center position. That’s the group for New York starting the second. And it’s Clarkson missing. And you don’t see that every day. Usually he’ll convert when he gets that close to the rim. Pass break. New York. Rebound. The Lakers. Vanderbilt’s got his fourth rebound in this one. Brunson against Donic. No good there with a step back J. Another miss from him. struggling to find his rhythm. Hard against Smart. Hard passes to Clarkson. Now Brunson up and over Donic. New York again. Can’t hit. Credit the defensive effort there. Not giving him room to operate. To the inside. Oh, deflected. Oh, and he got fouled on his way up. He’ll head to the line to shoot two. first person. You know, Grant, after losing in the first round last season, it felt like changes were inevitable for the Lakers. Yeah. Making the playoffs isn’t enough for that franchise. They are all about championship success, and anything short of that is a failure. The first free throw is good. Well, Grant, all the high hopes Knicks fans have had in recent years, they have finally come to fruition. Yeah, it really was good to see the Knicks have a great campaign last year. From the players to the coaches to the front office and the fans, they’ve pressed all the right buttons. Bates Deop, he’s checked in for New York. Donic hits them both. And Don is a walking triple double threat. His versatility and confidence is really special. Brunson taking his time here. [Applause] Smart with the defensive effort. Lakers trail by three. To the paint. Cuts off the pass. Pass to Brunson. Here we go. and Brunson running the floor. And guys, let’s get your take on the hustle stats for the Knicks. From the very start of this game, they have been giving the ball hand using good pressure to turn and get and also I haven’t seen a lot of resistance from the defense when it comes to limiting their points in transition. Clea, he’s checked in for Hayes. One shot. That free throw good from Brunson. And here’s Donic. He’ll bring it up for Los Angeles in the second quarter. They’ve given up just three points. Hard against Vanderbilt. Pass to Donic. Donic throwing his weight around. That’s right. Oh my. Tight defense, but Donic just muscles it in. Here’s Kick. Guarded by Donic. Aua passes to Brunson. Clarkson right side. Good on the shot. Clarkson’s got seven points. I mean, nothing you can do there. I mean, if Clarkson is going to make this, tip your cap to him. [Music] Donic passes to Smart. There’s a screen [Music] [Applause] and you can count it. He’ll go to the line with a chance at a three-point play. Oh, it’s dang attack. Los Angeles shooting their third free throw shot of the game. And Los Angeles making a change here. Vincson’s checked in. [Applause] That one misses for Smart Grant. How about that in season tournament win for the Lakers in 2024? Yeah, honestly it just makes sense that the first of those trophies would land with a historic franchise like the Lakers when he gets a quality look like he is automatic. [Applause] Smart a screen on Clarkson and here’s Donic outside the Luca three. Money man, this is just fun. These teams are trading threes back and forth. This is today’s NBA. Hey, we see this kind of exchange more often than not. Hart from long range. Rebound by the Lakers. Pson right side. Donic outside and he loss it up top. Oh, that’s offensive interference. Interference. No basket. Aton. He’s checked in for Los Angeles. Reeves comes in for Smart. [Applause] Knicks leading by four. And here in the second quarter of action as we approach four minutes played. Robinson. A screen on Donic. Here’s Clarkson. [Music] Up top. Bridges. Pass to Clarkson. Second chance shot. It’s hard on the wing. The three ball sends it home from three-point land. Can’t ask for a cleaner look than that. And they’ll make you pay. Lakers trail by seven. 31. Outside Reeves from deep. Here’s Donic. And the Lakers hit again from deep. And look at Luca now getting aggressive at the arc. He was eager to answer that last three. [Music] Clarkson passes to Brunson. Fades away and Aiden pulls it down. Aiden’s got his fourth rebound in this one. Donic outside. Left side. Reeds and stolen by Bridges. Pass to Clarkson. Outside Brunson. Brunson assertive on the take and it’s Bridges with the jam. It’s a classic play is the opening. Lakers trail by six outside Vanderbilt. Now here’s Aiden Robinson defending the fadeaway. Eightton no good. Great contest by the defense and he’s unable to hit that tough fadeaway. Hard finds Brunson. And a big finish by Robinson. Such good vision from Brunson. Uh he’s able to spot a guy ready to balls. [Applause] The pass to Aiden. [Applause] Soft touch off the glass. Aiden’s got six points. That’s been the story of their offense so far. Getting a number of looks from point blank range. And they double up Brunson. Clarkson outside. Screen by Robinson down low. Three shots, three baskets. Great efficiency so far. Use the pick to perfection. Got all the way to the rim. Here’s Vincent. No points yet. Pass to Donic. And there’s the lob. Oh, and the jam by Aiden by he’s a nimble guy for someone with that size. Aiden can get off of his team quick for a lock. And from the sideline, let’s catch up with Allie. Thanks, Brian. The Knicks, one of the top defensive teams in the league and it starts in the paint. Coach Tom Thibido said, quote, “We’ve prided ourselves on having a tight shell. We’ve got great rim protection, guys who take charges, and we’re aggressive on the ball. Guys, great defense has always been tips and low and nothing has changed now. Thanks, Ally. Now, here’s Robinson. Six points for him. Pass to Clarkson. Six on the shot clock. Hard passes to Brunson from about 19 with one on the clock. Yes. Throw it down. Wow. That type of finish is just deflating right now for a team that’s trying to make a comeback. Ouch. That’s certainly a big time finish right there. It was one big for and it’s OG Adobe in for Clarkson. LeBron, he’s checked in for the Lakers. Aimura comes in for Luca Donuch. [Applause] Knicks leading by six. Now Anobi five points in the game. Pass to Bridges. Now here’s Hart. Screen by Bridges. [Music] The three. And that’s his fourth bucket of the game in seven attempts. Obviously Bridges has practiced this little tool from the front. Here’s James. Yes, he’s still got it. LeBron, hey, kept it simple. No reason to get fancy right now, BA. Yeah, he’s just looking to find shots and produce for his team. Pass to Robinson. Anobi against Reeves. Robinson. A screen on Reeves. Back to Robinson. And a big finish by Robinson. And that’s a double double for him now. That’s how it be at 22 literally. James outside the screen on Towns. Aiden controls the rebound and the put back. That’s the thing about Aiden is so hard to keep him off the glass. Bridges with it. 10 points for him to the middle. Kicks it out. out the three and the Knicks another three and just totally relentless only increasing the intensity level. Always plays hard until the final whistle no matter what situation 44. Now here’s Reeds. Here’s Aiden. Now seven for nine after that make. We’re seeing the full range of Aiden’s offensive skills tonight. The big man’s putting on a show outside Anobi. Back to Bridges. Pass to Robinson. [Applause] Hard against Aimura. Five on the clock. Hard passes to Towns. Here’s Anobi. Rebounded by the Lakers. Eightton’s got his sixth rebound on the night. To the paint. Stolen by Anobi. Fast break. New York. He’s all alone. throw it down on the breakaway jam and just good hustle. Always nice to get an easy bucket on the break and making sure they get hurt by finishing strong. Pass to Aimura to the inside. Here’s James and slam dunk by James. This is classic LeBron leaping off the floor for a powerful dunk. Richard, it’s nice to have the versatility of a guy like Hachimura. equally comfortable at either forward position. Well, he’s got the size and strength of a modernday NBA power court, but he also has the ability to stretch the floor and knock down a three. That’s a nice combination. And Reeves has got the ball here for the Los Angeles Lakers. It’s a 10-point game. Pass to James. So, it’ll be two free throws. He was fouled in the active shooting. It’s going to go on Mitchell Robinson. He’s not afraid of getting physical. I like how James has no problem while trying to score. [Applause] [Applause] That one’s off. Grand, even though it looks like LeBron could play forever, he stated that he doesn’t have much time left. Well, it’s unbelievable that he sustained this level of excellence for as long as he has. I would be surprised if we see this type of longevity ever again. New York making a switch here. McBride’s checked in. And the second free throw is good. And when you think of LeBron, his competitive spirit is to me the first thing that comes to mind. All this guy wants to do is win all the time. Now here’s Towns inside and he got the whistle on the way up. So he’ll be headed to the line for a pair. First personal and Male Bridges still one of the better wing defenders in the league. Yeah, he’s so great at pestering the shooter. Good lateral movement and wingspan makes him hard to get around. He might not be the best in the league, but he is well above average. [Applause] No good on the free throw. I consider Mikuel Bridges a high motor player. He’s always ready to turn up his energy if he thinks it will help him get the better of you. and he sinks the second. Here’s Reeves and 101 left in the first half of this one. Aimura outside. Back to Reeves. Benson outside. Aiden inside working on Robinson. Aimura outside. Two on the clock. And there’s James from the ark. Carl Anthony Towns comes up with a rebound. Towns has got his sixth rebound on the night. McBride with it now guarded by Aiden. Outside McBride for Robinson. Towns for three, knocks down the triple. Towns has got six in the quarter. And that’s what makes Towns so dangerous offensively. He’s a threat even when he’s playing off the ball. 6249. Aiden with a screen, a three. James on target from range. James has got 10. And that’s how you up the ante. Come right back at him. Yeah, of the casket right there and I’m bound for my revenge. And we finished off one half a play out front. They’re up by 10 and we’ll be right back after halftime for the start of the third quarter. See you in just a bit. And it’s Achi Mura in at the small forward position. Now here’s Bridges. Pass to Brunson. Now Anobi. Now Towns. He’s covered by Reeves. Bridges outside from behind the ark and Aiden pulls it down. Lakers trail by 10. Outside Reeves back to Donic. Aimro with the ball outside. Reeves takes a three and Anobi pulls it down. And so Anobi will bring it up for New York. Here’s Bridges. It’s rebounded by Los Angeles. Donic has got a rebound number five here tonight. Outside Reeves. Pass to Donic. Aiden the screen on Bridges from deep. Here’s Donic. Sinks it from distance. Donic has got 17 points. Encouraging to see Donic sink the three. Needs to keep doing this now. Here’s Brunson. Brunson with the finish inside. And despite the height disadvantage, oh my. He just had serious really unfaced. Throw his height right out the window. Bridges with it. Picked up by Reeves. Here’s Brunson. Rebound by the Lakers. Donic has got six rebounds now in the game. Reeves up top. Pass to Donic. There’s the three. The Knicks with the rebound. And this is exactly who you want taking that shot. He just missed it. Brunson finds Bridges and Anobi for three. And Aiden pulls it down. Aiden’s got his eighth rebound here tonight. Physical play by LeBron inside. Powerful move by LeBron inside. Not letting anything stop him from getting his shot. Pass to Robinson. [Music] Towns left side. It’s going to be on LeBron James. LeBron James. That’s his third foul so far. Third personal foul. First team foul. A touch over two and a half minutes of basketball played here in the third quarter. And stolen by Reeves. Good instincts to read the path and get in a position to pick it off. Aimura the pass to James and it’s good as he snugs it right through the net. That’s right. And now just a five-point Nick lead. Just zero hesitation from James trusting his shot. to the right side. Towns right side. Shot clock at six. Pass to Bridges. The baseline Jay is on the way and Hannah Novi gets it to go on the assist by Bridges. Nice job to recognize the lack of D in that medium range area. Brunson against Donic. Second half here and we’re just over 3 and 1/2 minutes into it. Knicks leading by seven. [Applause] Bridges outside. Outside Brunson. Pass to Robinson. Anovi on the wing. Towns against James. The kick out to Brunson. Stats in coming off an assist from Towns. Brunson’s got five points now this quarter. And no matter how the D’s coming at him tonight, Brunson has adapted. And that’s what great scorers do. They figure it out. Now here’s Reeds. Reeves with a screen on Brunson from deep. Here’s Donic. Ooh, Donic with the response. Man, this is just fun. These teams are trading threes back and forth. This is today’s NBA. Hey, we see this kind of exchange more often than not. Here’s Brunson. 18 points for him. [Music] A sturdy finish from Brunson. A flashy ball handler at times. Brunson knows how to carve up scoring opportunities for himself. [Applause] Bridges against Reeves. Oh, he powers right through the defender for the dunk. Draws the foul too and he’ll go to the line. First team Jaylen Brunson picks one up. Have a look now at how the offensive approach has been going here so far for the Knicks. The name of the game in the modern NBA is making threes, spacing the court, and that’s exactly what they are doing tonight. Yeah. Another thing you notice are all the assist. The ball just has energy and everyone is getting involved. That’s good from Donic. And so it’s Brunson with it. He brings it up for New York. [Applause] from the arc and Aiden pulls it down. Aiden’s got nine rebounds in the game. Boy, he’s getting it done down low. Here’s James and it’s James with the jam. And once he gets to the rim, it’s fairly automatic. Nothing fancy right there. just takes the two points, moves on, and we’ll have a timeout called by Tom Thibido. He wants a few moments to regroup with his players. Hson’s checked in for Anovi and the Lakers also making a change. Smarts checked in. [Applause] [Applause] Towns outside to the wing on the left. Oh, rejected by Eightton. So difficult to shoot over. Eighton proving it with that rejection. Donic with it and Clarkson picks him up defensively. Luca proving he can score from anywhere. When he decides he wants to take it to the bucket, it’s really hard for anyone to slow him down. In 2024, Luca Donuch recorded six consecutive 30point triple double games. That’s right, BA. The first time anyone has done it in NBA history. So, if you didn’t already believe in Luca Magic, well, there’s some proof that the magic is real. Three on the clock. Robinson can’t hit. The Lakers trail. Oh, what a performance offensively. They’re really rolling at that end. Excellent game play. Here’s Donic. And there’s another one for the Lakers. And their offense tonight is Luca, Luca, and more Luca. When he’s on, it’s an opponent’s worst nightmare. Bridges outside. And miss after miss right now. The Lakers have gone eight of 12 from the floor in the third quarter. And slam dunk by James. [Applause] New York trailing. And here’s Brunson. Give him 20 to stop the drought. Jump shot is good that time. Brunson’s got nine points now in the second half. And you just can’t let Brunson get to his spot. I mean, he’s an excellent mid-range shooter. [Music] [Applause] Reeves against Bridges. James outside [Applause] to the paint. Here’s Aiden. Towns with a rebound. New York has gone one of four here in the third from Reigns. Bridges finds Brunson. [Applause]
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