With a roster resembling a bit of a MASH unit, the Los Angeles Lakers got off to an abysmal start against the New York Knicks and blew a lead in the fourth quarter of a 119-112 loss. The Lakers fell to 1-4 in their current stretch without LeBron James and Rajon Rondo.
A string of subpar offensive possessions and slew of turnovers contributed to the Knicks jumping out to a 22-5 lead. The Lakers cut into their deficit but still found themselves trailing 39-25 at the end of the first quarter.
Turnovers remained an issue as they worked to chip into the Knicks’ lead, with the Lakers committing 10 within the first 20 minutes of the game. Lonzo Ball and Brandon Ingram were the primary culprits, as each had four turnovers to that point.
L.A. remained within striking distance thanks to another strong shooting performance from Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, who turned in a fourth consecutive game with at least three 3-pointers made. The Lakers’ momentum carried into the third quarter, with JaVale McGee leading the charge.
He put together a stretch of six consecutive points and a jump shot from Ingram gave the Lakers their first lead of the game. They were ahead 92-86 heading into the fourth quarter but allowed the Knicks to score seven straight points.
The see-saw affair continued throughout the final 12 minutes, particularly late in the quarter as the teams traded baskets. The Lakers then went into a drought, missing six consecutive shots.
That ultimately proved to be the difference as the Knicks scratched on just enough possessions to snap an eight-game losing streak.
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