The celebs had been in all places you seemed Saturday evening, each on Celeb Row and on the courtroom, partly as a result of lone go to of the season by LeBron James and the Lakers.
However largely, as soon as once more, the packed crowd got here to get a glimpse of and cheer on the most popular crew within the NBA and in New York sports activities.
First-time All-Star Jalen Brunson in the end couldn’t will the undermanned Knicks to their tenth straight win, nevertheless, dropping a 113-105 resolution to James and his Tinseltown crew in a nationally televised showcase recreation at MSG.
Brunson scored a game-high 36 factors with 10 assists — for his ninth recreation with 30 or extra in his final 11 appearances — however the Knicks fell to 15-3 since Jan.1 and to 32-18 total, dropping again to 1.5 video games behind the victorious Bucks for the No.2 playoff place within the Japanese Convention.
“I do know the place we’re, and now we have to have the identical mindset each single evening,” Brunson mentioned earlier than the sport. “We have to go on the market and be higher than we had been the day earlier than. And so irrespective of the place we’re within the standings, irrespective of what number of we’ve gained in a row, my mindset is to be higher each single time we’re on that courtroom.
“So, no document, no standing, no accolades are going to make us assume in another way.”
Donte DiVincenzo buried six extra 3-pointers on 16 makes an attempt and completed with 26 factors, whereas Josh Hart contributed 12 factors and 11 rebounds for the Knicks, who performed once more with out injured Julius Randle, OG Anunoby and Quentin Grimes.
James, who largely was guarded by Treasured Achiuwa, completed with 24 factors, whereas fellow All-Star Anthony Davis had 11 wth 19 rebounds and 4 blocked pictures for the Lakers (26-25) of their returns to the lineup after sitting out Thursday’s recreation in Boston.
Earlier than the sport, James had known as Brunson “phenomenal,” and the 20-time All-Star added he was “super-happy and super-proud” of the Knicks’ level guard for his deserved preliminary All-Star designation.
You could possibly inform instantly there have been a good quantity of LeBron/Lakers followers in attendance when James drew loud applause for a dunk within the opening minutes, which was adopted by subsequent two-handed stuffs by Davis and Rui Hachimura and a spin transfer to the ring by James.
The Knicks missed their first seven makes an attempt from 3-point vary till DiVincenzo knocked down a triple with 3:24 left within the interval, however the Lakers held a 27-25 lead by means of one, with D’Angelo Russell scoring 12 factors and Davis grabbing 10 boards within the quarter.
The Knicks missed 12 of 17 from lengthy distance within the half, however DiVincenzo’s third trey of the sport pulled the Knicks even with 1:02 remaining within the second quarter en path to a 59-59 knot at intermission. Brunson completed the half with 17, whereas James netted a dozen.
DiVincenzo nailed one other 3-pointer and scored seven factors in a 12-5 spurt to open the third, and Isaiah Hartenstein drove the lane for a thunderous slam for a 76-70 benefit halfway by means of the quarter.
Nonetheless, Davis swatted consecutive drives by Hart and Brunson, and the Lakers closed again inside one on two free throws by Austin Reaves (22 factors), who collided with James on the basket as he was fouled by DiVincenzo.
Miles McBride accomplished a standard 3-point play, Achiuwa added a driving bicket and Brunson knocked down his first 3-pointer of the sport late within the quarter, because the Knicks carried an 86-80 benefit into the ultimate interval.
James sank two fall-away jumpers in a 9-0 LA spurt to open the fourth for a three-point lead, earlier than Brunson drove and kicked out to Hart for a game-tying trey from the suitable nook.
Brunson heard one other spherical of “MVP” chants as he sank a pair of free throws to place the Knicks forward, however Taurean Prince scored six straight factors for a 100-96 Lakers lead with underneath six minutes remaining.
The Lakers swarmed Brunson with double groups on the following few empty possessions for the Knicks, earlier than a Reaves corner-3 and a baseline jumper by James made it a nine-point recreation with 1:54 remaining.