The New York Knicks continued their success on their west coast trip, defeating the Los Angeles Lakers Sunday night.
The New York Knicks road trip is off to an excellent start. After defeating the Sacramento Kings on Friday night, the Knicks improved to 2-0 on the west coast trip by defeating the Los Angeles Lakers Sunday night.
The Knicks move to 14-10 on the season and 5-6 on the road. The victory over the Lakers was the fourth consecutive victory for the Knicks away from Madison Square Garden. With the loss, the Lakers have lost six in a row and fall to 10-16 on the season and 6-7 at Staples Center.
The 118 points scored for the Knicks ties a season high. The Knicks received spirited efforts from plenty of players and everyone delivered in some way to help get the win. The Knicks were without Kyle O’Quinn tonight because of an ankle injury, but Willy Hernangomez stepped right in for him and delivered.
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Hernangomez pulled down 12 rebounds in 20 minutes, adding six points, one assist, one steal, and two blocks. The Knicks also received good minutes from Justin Holiday, who scored nine points on the evening.
The point guard duo for the Knicks in Derrick Rose and Brandon Jennings were too much for the Lakers to handle. Rose was outstanding in his return, while Jennings was pumped to return home. It was the first time that Jennings got a win at the Staples Center in his career, losing the first 13 times he visited.
Courtney Lee also had a nice night offensively. He chipped in 16 points, knocking down three three-pointers and all five of his free throw attempts. He was one of five Knicks in double figures, as Kristaps Porzingis, Carmelo Anthony, Rose, and Jennings all had double-digits as well.
This was an impressive victory for the Knicks as Anthony had an off night shooting. He was 4-of-16 from the field, a performance that would have resulted in a loss in recent seasons. But the Knicks have an improved supporting cast and other players that can score to help take the load off Anthony’s shoulders.
Three Stars
PG Brandon Jennings, Knicks — The Compton native had a successful homecoming. He refused to let the Knicks lose the game tonight. Jennings scored 19 points, 15 of which came in the decisive fourth quarter. He nailed three three-pointers in the quarter. For the game, he added four assists, and three rebounds, turning the ball over only once.
PG Derrick Rose, Knicks — Rose was outstanding in his return after missing the last two games. He looked to have his explosion back and fully healed. He poured in 25 points as he was unstoppable on the offensive side of the ball, shooting 12-of-16 from the field. Rose added three rebounds and two assists as he and Jennings coincided well in the backcourt.
PF Kristaps Porzingis, Knicks — Porzingis was dominant on both ends of the court. He has been struggling with his shot recently, making 31 percent of his shots in the last five games. But, he was on tonight as he scored 26 points on 8-of-15 from the field, knocking down 3-of-4 from deep and 7-of-9 from the foul line. He also added 12 rebounds, giving him double-figure rebounds in four out of the last five games. His biggest impact was arguably around the rim, where he blocked seven shots and altered a number others.
Highlights
Next Game
The Knicks will continue their road trip with a visit to the Phoenix Suns on Tuesday night. The Lakers will head on the road and play against the Sacramento Kings Monday night.