Knicks Outlast Lakers With Second-Half Surge at Madison Square Garden
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The Los Angeles Lakers’ road momentum stalled on Saturday night, Feb. 1, 2026, as the New York Knicks used a dominant second half to secure a 112-100 victory at Madison Square Garden.
The matchup, billed as the priciest regular-season ticket in nearly 10 years, opened with both offenses firing. Los Angeles established Deandre Ayton early with two inside buckets before LeBron James added five straight points. New York countered behind OG Anunoby, who hit a pair of three-pointers on his way to eight quick points.
Luka Doncic shook off a slow start with consecutive threes and a lob assist to Rui Hachimura. Hachimura, coming off the bench, connected on his first three attempts as the Lakers closed the first quarter ahead 33-27.
Anunoby’s early burst helped New York stay close, but the Lakers still led 56-52 at halftime despite cooling off in the second period. A 2-3 zone limited the Knicks before the break, yet the third quarter shifted the momentum.
Careless Lakers turnovers and missed rebounds allowed New York to grab the lead. Head coach JJ Redick burned a quick timeout, and Los Angeles briefly responded with an 8-0 burst capped by threes from Gabe Vincent and Doncic. The Knicks answered immediately, pushing the tempo and burying shots from long range to carry a 90-82 edge into the fourth.
Both clubs entered the night ranked among the NBA’s top fourth-quarter teams, but only New York sustained its form. Lakers role players missed open looks, while the Knicks continued to convert, stretching the margin to double digits and eliminating any chance of a late comeback.
The defeat drops Los Angeles to 2-1 on its current trip. The Lakers wrap up the swing Tuesday against the Brooklyn Nets before returning to Crypto.com Arena to host the Philadelphia 76ers on Thursday.
Source: LakersNation.com
