NBA: Los Angeles Lakers at Washington Wizards
One game before LeBron James’ highly anticipated annual visit to Madison Square Garden, the New York Knicks were reminded once again that Jalen Brunson has become the James-like superstar they have been searching for since LeBron entered the league.
Brunson will look to lead the Knicks to a flawless five-game homestand on Saturday night as they take on the Los Angeles Lakers in their first meeting of the season between the two major-market franchises.
The Knicks have been off since Wednesday, when Brunson delivered a standout performance, joining an exclusive group of franchise legends by recording 30 points and 15 assists in a 122-112 victory over the Denver Nuggets. Meanwhile, the Lakers continued their six-game road trip on Thursday with a dominant 134-96 win over the Wizards.
Brunson’s historic double-double added another highlight to what has been a superstar-level season for the Knicks’ floor general. Now in his third year as the team’s leader, Brunson was named an All-Star starter for the first time on January 23. He is currently averaging 25.9 points and a career-high 7.5 assists per game, helping New York stay on track for a third consecutive playoff appearance—after the franchise had made the postseason just once in the nine seasons before his arrival.
Brunson shined particularly in the third quarter on Wednesday, scoring 18 points to help the Knicks take the lead for good. He then dished out seven assists in the fourth as New York pulled away. He became just the fourth player in Knicks history to record at least 30 points and 15 assists in a single game, the first to do so since Nate Robinson’s 33-point, 15-assist performance on February 11, 2009.
“He was just special,” Knicks center Karl-Anthony Towns said. “‘Cap’ is special. Everyone knows. We needed him to score tonight, we needed him to do what he does best. And he did that. That’s why he’s special. Whenever his name is called in the biggest moment, he’s ready.”
Few players in NBA history have been as consistently ready as LeBron James. Now 40 years old, James is still delivering at an elite level in his 22nd season, averaging 23.8 points, 7.5 rebounds, and 9.0 assists while recording nine triple-doubles.
On Thursday against the Wizards, James—who has been managing a chronic left foot injury—finished with 24 points and 11 assists in just 26-plus minutes, his lowest playing time of the season. The Lakers took control early, leading 78-45 at halftime and 97-62 by the time James exited for good with 3:24 left in the third quarter.
The victory marked the Lakers’ seventh in their last nine games, keeping them in fifth place in the Western Conference heading into Friday. They currently hold a one-game lead over the Minnesota Timberwolves, the first team outside of a guaranteed playoff spot.
Lakers head coach JJ Redick emphasized James’ remarkable longevity and commitment: “Don’t overlook the fact that, by the way, he’s 40 years old in Year 22 with every accolade under the sun, and he comes out on a Thursday night in a non-nationally televised game against a team that’s really struggling, and he’s the tone-setter.”
Over his career, James has averaged 26.5 points, 7.3 rebounds, and 7.3 assists in 59 games against the Knicks.
