Luka Doncic and LeBron James led the Los Angeles Lakers to a hard-fought 113-109 overtime victory against the New York Knicks on Thursday night at Crypto.com Arena.
Doncic finished with 32 points, 12 assists, and eight rebounds, while James contributed 31 points, 12 boards, and eight assists. The Lakers (40-21) erased a 10-point fourth-quarter deficit to extend their winning streak to eight games.
Jalen Brunson carried New York (40-22) with 39 points and 10 assists but suffered a right ankle injury in overtime. The All-Star guard landed awkwardly after contact with Austin Reaves and exited after making two free throws.
Trailing 90-80 with under seven minutes left, Los Angeles stormed back with a 19-6 run. Gabe Vincent’s three-pointer with 1:21 remaining put the Lakers ahead 99-96, but Brunson’s three-point play forced overtime.
In the extra period, Doncic scored five points, including a crucial three-pointer, while James sealed the game at the free-throw line. Jaxson Hayes also hit two key free throws with 59.7 seconds left, putting Los Angeles ahead for good.
New York struggled from deep, shooting just 23.3% (10-of-43) from three-point range. The Lakers, meanwhile, caught fire late, making 7-of-15 from beyond the arc in the fourth quarter and overtime after a sluggish start.
Karl-Anthony Towns had 12 points and 14 rebounds for the Knicks, while OG Anunoby added 20 points. Josh Hart chipped in 18 points and 10 rebounds, but New York remained winless (0-9) against the league’s top four teams.
