This Saturday morning, the Los Angeles Lakers and the New York Knicks have the same average record of seven wins and six losses since the start of the season. And the two franchises also share a big headache after their Friday night setback.
On the one hand, the Lakers were humiliated at home by Minnesota (107-83), a defeat whose magnitude cannot be justified by absences alone. On the other, the Knicks are in a real negative spiral with five defeats in their last seven games, seeing all the benefits of their good start to the season fly away.
Starving three-point address for the Lakers
At Staples Center, the Lakers, still deprived of LeBron James (abs), sank just after the break they had reached with a five-point lead (49-44). In twelve minutes, they were wiped off the map with a starving three-point address (1 of 13 in that period) and six costly ball losses.
Opposite, Karl-Anthony Towns was dominant with 18 of his 29 points during this quarter. K.-O. standing, the Angelenos have never been able to react, like a Carmelo Anthony blocked at one out of twelve in shooting or Russell Westbrook limited to only three assists (and 20 points).
For the franchise with 17 titles, the record is beginning to be alarming, especially since it has played ten of its first thirteen home matches (where it has already conceded four defeats). Note that Sekou Doumbouya played just over eight minutes for the Lakers, scoring four points (1/4 shooting) and adding two rebounds, one block and one interception.
New York in a negative spiral
The Knicks were on the move, at the Charlotte Hornets and they conceded a narrower defeat (104-96) but the face they have been showing for two weeks is worrying, especially at the level of the starting five. At the Spectrum Center, the five New York holders all posted a negative balance (a point difference of between -9 and -23 when they were each on the field).
The Frenchman Evan Fournier unfortunately did not escape this disappointment with only five points (2 of 6 shooting), six rebounds and an assist for a personal plus/minus of -11. Kemba Walker’s 26 points against his former team didn’t weigh much against Charlotte’s collective strength.
Miles Bridges compiled 24 points, Gordon Hayward 22 points (plus 7 assists), Terry Rozier 18 and LaMelo Ball added a very complete game at the gates of the triple double with twelve points, seventeen rebounds (personal best), nine assists and five interceptions. This allows the Hornets to return to accounting balance (7 wins-7 losses) and to go back to qualifying position (9th). The Knicks will have a short break (no game before Monday night against Indiana) to try to put their minds back in place.
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