This was the type of win that has eluded the Lakers for most of the season.
Controlling.
Decisive.
And just as importantly, it was against one of the NBA’s best teams.
The Lakers’ 110-97 victory over the Knicks on Sunday at Crypto.com Arena wasn’t only significant because of the stage — a nationally televised matchup on ABC between the most popular teams in the league’s biggest markets — but because it put a pause to the concerns whether the Lakers have what it takes to beat the league’s best.
And on Sunday afternoon, while LeBron James was in street clothes on the bench for the second consecutive game, they put together arguably their best performance of the season against a healthy Knicks team that won 16 of its previous 21 games.
The shotmaking and playmaking from their stars was present, with Luka Doncic (35 points, eight rebounds, four assists and two steals) and Austin Reaves (25 points, five assists, four rebounds) combining for 60 points, 12 rebounds and nine assists.
The role players contributed with energy and hustle plays, with Marcus Smart, Jaxson Hayes, Deandre Ayton and Jake LaRavia leading the way with impactful plays that don’t show up in the box score.
And the defense was as dialed in as it’s been all season, with the Lakers also benefiting from the Knicks’ poor 3-point shooting.
What it means
The Lakers’ win over the Knicks put them at 5-12 on the season against teams with .600-or-better records.
They had lost the previous six and 12 of their last 13 matchups against those teams, with the lone win in that stretch being against the Nikola Jokic-less Nuggets on Jan. 20.
Turning point
When Hayes and Smart made multiple hustle plays underneath the Lakers’ basket that ended with Smart throwing the ball off Mikal Bridges out of bounds, helping the Lakers maintain possession.
Doncic hit a stepback 2 on the out-of-bounds play, putting the Lakers up 101-86 with 7 ½ minutes left.
MVP: Luka Doncic
With the Knicks hanging in, Doncic made a 3-pointer with 1:05 left to put the game out of reach.
Doncic’s shooting numbers weren’t stellar (11 of 25, 5 of 16 on 3s) but he controlled the game.
Stat of the game: 23
That was the combined number of field goal and free-throw attempts Reaves took against the Knicks.
It was the second most Reaves combined for in the statistical categories since he returned to the floor from a calf injury last month.
Reaves shot 8 of 16 from the field and 6 of 7 on free throws.
Up next
The Lakers will host the Timberwolves on Tuessay at Crypto.com Arena.
They already have won the season series, 2-0, over the Timberwolves after beating Minnesota twice in October.
