The Lakers had their chances, but the Knicks controlled the game in the moments that mattered most. Luka Doncic did everything he could to keep Los Angeles within striking distance, stuffing the stat sheet and carrying the offensive burden for long stretches. The problem was consistency – New York got timely buckets across the lineup, while the Lakers rode cold stretches and missed opportunities that slowly tilted the night out of their hands.
Defensively, the effort came and went, and the rebounding gap didn’t help either. When the Knicks turned defensive stops into quick offense, the Lakers struggled to respond. It wasn’t a collapse, but it was a game where too many small losses in key possessions added up to a double-digit defeat.
Luka Doncic: A
Game Stats: 30 PTS, 15 REB, 8 AST, 3 TOV, 10-23 FG, 5-14 3-PT FG, 5-6 FT, 37 MIN
Doncic carried the offensive load and nearly willed the Lakers back multiple times. He controlled the glass, created for teammates, and hit tough shots under pressure. The efficiency from deep wasn’t perfect, but the degree of difficulty was sky-high. Without him, this game gets out of hand much earlier.
LeBron James: B
Game Stats: 22 PTS, 5 REB, 6 AST, 1 STL, 1 TOV, 9-15 FG, 2-6 3-PT FG, 2-6 FT, 35 MIN
LeBron James picked his spots well as a scorer and was efficient from the floor, but the free-throw line left points behind that the Lakers could’ve used. He balanced scoring with playmaking and kept the offense organized, yet he never fully imposed himself for a long stretch. Solid night, just not the takeover performance L.A. needed late.
Deandre Ayton: B-
Game Stats: 13 PTS, 5 REB, 1 AST, 1 STL, 6-6 FG, 1-1 FT, 32 MIN
Deandre Ayton finished almost everything and was super efficient; but the Lakers needed him to do more. He played within the flow and didn’t force anything, but there were times when the Lakers needed him to ask for the ball to help the Knicks slow down.
Rui Hachimura: C+
Game Stats: 11 PTS, 3 REB, 1 AST, 1 TOV, 5-11 FG, 1-5 3-PT FG, 29 MIN
Rui gave the Lakers some scoring off the bench and attacked mismatches. Overall, he had a decent night, and he found ways to score despite the unreliability of some of his shots. It could have been a bigger night if he had made a couple more shots.
Gabe Vincent: C+
Game Stats: 8 PTS, 1 REB, 1 TOV, 3-5 FG, 2-4 3-PT FG, 18 MIN
Vincent sparked the offense with the timely shooting and kept the floor spaced. He didn’t over-dribble and played within himself, which helped the offense flow better when he was on the floor.
Jake LaRavia: C
Game Stats: 5 PTS, 2 REB, 2 AST, 1 STL, 1 BLK, 2 TOV, 2-7 FG, 1-6 3-PT FG, 23 MIN
LaRavia found a couple ways to contribute defensively, but offensively it was a grind. The three-ball didn’t fall, and that’s where most of his value comes. When those shots rim out, his overall impact shrinks, and that’s what happened here.
Jaxson Hayes: C-
Game Stats: 2 PTS, 2 REB, 2 BLK, 1-2 FG, 12 MIN
Defensively, Hayes helped more than he hurt, blocking a shot and stopping a few more with his rim protection and energy. Offensively, he didn’t do anything, but he was a little active around the rim, which with constructive, though, during some of the offensive stretches for the second.
Marcus Smart: C-
Game Stats: 7 PTS, 3 AST, 1 STL, 2 TOV, 2-9 FG, 1-4 3-PT FG, 2-2 FT, 30 MIN
Smart brought his usual defensive edge, but offensively it just wasn’t there. The shot selection wasn’t terrible — they just didn’t drop — and empty trips started piling up. When he’s missing, his offensive presence can bog things down.
Jarred Vanderbilt: D
Game Stats: 1 PTS, 2 REB, 1 STL, 0-4 FG, 0-3 3-PT FG, 1-2 FT, 20 MIN
Vanderbilt was good with defending, but offensively he was a complete absence. He missed a lot of good chances and his bad conversion rate rim made it harder to leave him on the court during crucial stretches.
Maxi Kleber: N/A
Game Stats: 1 PTS, 1 REB, 1-2 FT, 1 MIN
Just a quick stint to steal a minute, so an easy N/A.
Drew Timme: N/A
Game Stats: 0-1 FG, 1 MIN
It is impossible to meaningfully analyze Timme with such little time on the court.
Dalton Knecht: N/A
Game Stats: 1 MIN
He just made a short appearance without a chance to actually play.
Nick Smith Jr.: N/A
Game Stats: 0-1 FG, 1 MIN
Just a short stint at the end without a real chance to influence the outcome.
