The Knicks took care of business at Madison Square Garden, beating the Los Angeles Lakers 112-100 in what felt like a throwback NBA on NBC kind of night. From the atmosphere in the building to the names on the floor, this one had a playoff edge to it, and the Knicks matched that energy for all 48 minutes.
OG Anunoby led the way with 25 points, setting the tone on both ends, while Landry Shamet came up huge late. Shamet finished with 23 points and delivered the knockout blows in crunch time, knocking down two massive three-pointers with 1:33 and then 59 seconds left. Those shots spoiled any remaining Lakers hopes of making it a game and helped extend the Knicks’ winning streak to six after what had been a rough start to the 2026 season.
From the opening tip, the game carried the feel of a postseason matchup. The buzz inside the Garden was impossible to ignore, not just because the game was on NBC, but because of the sense that this might be LeBron James’ final appearance in the building. James played his 35th career game at MSG, and alongside Luka Doncic, the All Star duo combined for 52 points for Los Angeles.
Doncic came out firing, scoring 10 points in the first quarter and piling up 18 of his 30 points in the first half. The Knicks did a much better job on him after the break, holding him to just three points in the fourth quarter as the defence tightened and the game slipped away from the Lakers.
“*Second half, we locked in better with the gameplan. It resulted in the Lakers scoring 44 points in that second half, which was huge for us.*”
– Mike Brown
The Knicks took control after halftime, outscoring the Lakers 60-44 in the second half. The defensive intensity ramped up, and the offence followed, with nine three-pointers raining down after the break. That combination allowed the Knicks to stretch the lead and eventually build a 13-point cushion in the final minute.
Anunoby was at the center of the momentum swing in the third quarter. With 2:37 left in the period, he threw down a dunk off a Jalen Brunson assist to tie the game at 77. On the very next possession, he dunked again, igniting the crowd. Just before the buzzer, Anunoby drilled a three-pointer with six seconds left, capping an explosive stretch that sent the Knicks into the fourth quarter up 90-82.
Before that surge, Tyler Kolek had played a key role in keeping the game from slipping away. Kolek scored all eight of his 8 points in the second quarter and was instrumental in preventing the Lakers from building on their 37-30 lead. He knocked down a 22-foot three, then assisted Josh Hart on another triple. With six minutes left in the half, Kolek somehow hit a tough fadeaway jumper over Doncic, then followed it up with another three two minutes later to give the Knicks a 45-44 edge.
Hart added 20 points, continuing his all-around impact, while Brunson chipped in with 12. Karl-Anthony Towns quietly put together a strong night as well, finishing with a double-double of 11 points and 13 rebounds, controlling the glass as the Knicks pulled away.
With the win, the Knicks improved to 31-18, climbing back into second place in the Eastern Conference. That standing feels even more impressive considering the team lost eight of its first ten games earlier in the year. Nights like this, beating the Lakers at the Garden with the building rocking and the defence locked in, are a reminder of how far this group has come.
rady
KnicksOnline.com founder. Software tester by day time, sports shooter by free time. Rocking with the orange and blue since the mid 90s.