Knicks recapture their identity in win over Lakers
Knicks forward Julius Randle (30) dunks the ball against Los Angeles Lakers guard Austin Reaves during the second half of a game, Monday, Dec. 18, 2023, in Los Angeles. Credit: AP/Ryan Sun
LOS ANGELES — In the locker room at Crypto.com Arena after Monday night's game, Jalen Brunson had a puffy welt under his right eye, Julius Randle had four stitches in his lip and Isaiah Hartenstein had deep scratches across his arms and blood splattered on his uniform. Jericho Sims hobbled out with his right foot encased in a walking boot. Taj Gibson was limping slightly, knocking wood on the locker that the slight bump was all the damage done.
The Knicks still managed to smile through the scabs and scars by recapturing a little bit of their identity. One game after bemoaning the intensity and effort defensively, the Knicks beat the Los Angeles Lakers, 114-109, to head back east with a much-needed victory.
Shorthanded — we didn’t mention Mitchell Robinson was watching back home with his foot elevated after undergoing surgery — and seeing players head to the locker room for wounds to be stitched up or treated, the Knicks' defense was back and Randle and Brunson led the effort . And this is what the Knicks need to be if they are going to have any hope of reaching levels beyond where they went last season.
“We found a way,” Brunson said. “The 'next up' mentality, but it’s never on that one person, it’s all about how we collectively get better as a team. … Obviously, one of our better [defensive efforts] as of recently, but something we’ve got to build on. We took a step forward tonight. Just got to keep moving forward.”
The Knicks managed to beat a Lakers team on the night that the NBA Cup banner was raised with LeBron James and Anthony Davis on top of their games. But for a night at least, Randle and Brunson looked every bit the stars that those Lakers are. Randle did it with an effort and intensity that may have been a byproduct of playing against the team that drafted him and let him walk or facing James, an effort that needs to be replicated for the Knicks to be what they believe they can be.
“After I had to get four stitches, yeah. I was a little bit more motivated,” Randle said of his 27-point, 14-rebound effort. “I just learn a lot every time I play against him. I learn how he attacks the game, controls the game, plays with pace. How he looks to score, gets other guys going. He’s truly a genius of this game. One of the greatest if not the greatest. Any time I get a chance to match up against him, I love to compete against him and learn from him.”
“Yeah, I think that’s natural for guys,” Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau said. “To me, what I see, he’s up for every game. But I think human nature is the team that you played for, you always wanna do well against them. And so, if it’s extra motivation — I don’t know. He seems like he plays the same way. But he was phenomenal. He’s got a tough matchup the whole game. He’s gotta guard LeBron. He’s gotta do what he has to do for us offensively all around.”
Now the test for Randle and the Knicks is to continue it as they head to Brooklyn to play the Nets on Wednesday before going back to Madison Square Garden for two games against the Milwaukee Bucks. Who will be healed and ready remains a mystery.
“We’re learning how to bounce back,” Brunson said. "But we’ve got to continue to stack wins. Can’t be comfortable with just one. Just keep stacking them, keep being resilient and stick together.”
Steve Popper covers the Knicks for Newsday. He has spent nearly three decades covering the Knicks and the NBA, along with just about every sports team in the New York metropolitan area.
