The Knicks (41*-23) play the Lakers (38-25) today at crypto.com Arena in a nationally televised contest. The Knicks have won seven of their last ten games, while the Lakers are six and four over the same span. This game marks their second and final matchup of the season. When they last met on February 1, The Knicks won, 112-100. OG Anunoby led the good guys with 25 points. Luka Don\u010di\u0107 scored 30 for Los Angeles.<\/p>\n
The Lakers profile as a slightly above-average offensive team with a shaky defense and middling results. They score 116 points per game (12th) but give up 115.3 (15th), and are ranked 21st in defensive rating. Their offense ranks ninth (117.7), but the imbalance gives them a dead-middle net rating, and one look at their roster explains why their pace is considered a trot.<\/p>\n
Luka Don\u010di\u0107 is having his usual elite season. He\u2019s averaging a league-leading 32.5 points along with 7.8 rebounds, and 8.5 assists per game while shooting 48% from the field and 36% from yard. At shooting guard, milky smooth Austin Reaves has enjoyed a breakout campaign, posting 23.5 points, 4.7 rebounds, and 5.4 assists per game on 50\/37 shooting splits.<\/p>\n
LeBron James remains productive despite taking a reduced role as he ages out of the NBA; this season he\u2019s averaging 21.4 points, 5.6 rebounds, and seven assists per game, but shooting 31% from downtown. Alongside James in the frontcourt, Rui Hachimura has averaged 11.6 points and 3.3 rebounds, while Deandre Ayton contributes 12.6 points and 8.2 rebounds per game. More on him in sec.<\/p>\n
The 17th pick in 2024, Dalton Knecht had a whirlwind rookie season with the Lakers that included an awkward trade-and-rescind to Charlotte. In the current campaign, his shooting has fallen off and he\u2019s mostly fallen out of the rotation. Despite his setbacks, Coach JJ Redick has faith that the sophomore will turn around his career as a grocery bagger.<\/p>\n
At least Knecht hasn\u2019t been called soft, lazy, or unserious\u2014Deandre Ayton has that covered. The former first draft pick has played 54 games this season and grabbed 10 or more rebounds in 22 of them. To call himself DominAyton is a bit of a stretch. (For comparison, the 6\u20195\u201d Josh Hart collects 7.5 boards per game) The seven-footer is dealing with knee soreness but has been cleared to play today.<\/p>\n
In their last game, L.A. started Marcus Smart (9.5 PPTS, 2.8 AST), Luka, Reaves, Jaxson Hayes (7 PTS, 4 RBS), and Hachimura. LeBron missed the game due to an elbow injury that also has him listed as a game-time decision today. For the Knicks, only Miles McBride is on the injury report.<\/p>\n
ESPN predicts a 63% chance for the Knicks to win. That\u2019s slightly higher than we\u2019d go, but cool beans. Any game against Luka can be a challenge for our Knickerbockers. In 13 games against New York, the Slovenian has averaged 30.5 points, 10.2 rebounds, and 8.8 assists, and although he\u2019s won just six of them, he\u2019s delivered some wicked highlights.<\/p>\n
To win today, the Knicks must protect the paint and limit penetration from Don\u010di\u0107 and James, while pushing the tempo against these slowfoots and keying up the defense. Los Angeles ranks 29th in rebounding, so there\u2019s no excuse for the Knicks not to win the glass and generate second looks. It\u2019s an early road game on an unfriendly court in front of a large audience, but we like their chances. Knicks by eight.<\/p>\n
Who: New York Knicks (41*-23) at Los Angeles Lakers (38-25) * Should be one more, but NBA Cup wins dissolve in your hand.<\/p>\n
Date: Sunday, March 8, 2026
Time: 3:30 PM ET
Place: crypto.com<\/a> Arena, Los Angeles, CA
TV: ABC
Follow: @ptknicksblog<\/a> and bsky<\/a><\/p>\n