Knicks defeat Lakers 112-100, sixth straight victory

The New York Knicks secured their sixth straight victory by dominating the Los Angeles Lakers 112-100 at Madison Square Garden, in what could be LeBron James‘ final game at this iconic venue. This highly anticipated matchup, with ticket prices reaching heights not seen since Kobe Bryant’s last game, lived up to all expectations.

A balanced first half before the Knicks’ dominance

The Lakers took the lead in the first period thanks to an excellent Luka Doncic, who scored 18 points in the first 24 minutes. The California team led 56-52 at halftime, carried by fluid team play with 21 assists. Deandre Ayton (13 points) and Rui Hachimura (11 points) also contributed offensively.

For the Knicks, despite shooting struggles from Jalen Brunson (4/15, 12 points), the New York team relied on OG Anunoby (11 points in the first period) and valuable bench contributions from Tyler Kolek and Landry Shamet to stay in the game.

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New York’s collective response makes the difference

The turning point came after halftime with an initial 12-7 run in favor of the Knicks. Karl-Anthony Towns, freshly selected for his sixth All-Star Game, dominated the boards with a double-double (11 points, 13 rebounds) and a +23 plus-minus. Josh Hart (20 points on 8/11 shooting) and OG Anunoby (25 points) took over offensively.

From 50-point games to triple-doubles.

Take a look back at LeBron’s greatest hits at MSG 🏟️

Lakers-Knicks | Sunday Night Basketball | NBC & Peacock | 7pm/et pic.twitter.com/mlzUXLRrZw

— NBA (@NBA) February 1, 2026

The key to New York’s success was their 3-point shooting (18/42), particularly from Landry Shamet. The shooter scored 23 points with 6 makes on 10 three-point attempts, hitting crucial shots in crunch time. The Knicks‘ 14 offensive rebounds also provided valuable second-chance opportunities.

Despite 30 points, 15 rebounds and 8 assists from Luka Doncic, and 22 points from LeBron James highlighted by a spectacular alley-oop dunk, the Lakers couldn’t contain the Knicks‘ collective defense. Mike Brown’s team held opponents to less than one point per possession during this six-game winning streak, displaying the best NBA defense during that period.

This victory propels the Knicks (31-18) into a tie with Boston for second place in the Eastern Conference, behind Detroit. For the Lakers, defensive problems (25th ranked NBA defense) and lack of contribution from role players (Jake LaRavia, Marcus Smart and Jarred Vanderbilt combined 2/13 from three-point range) continue to hurt their aspirations.