The Los Angeles Lakers‘ recent road trip hit a new snag Sunday night at Madison Square Garden, as the team dropped a 112-100 decision to the New York Knicks in a game marked by defensive lapses, veteran struggles, and growing concerns about buy-in from the NBA’s most scrutinized rotation.
The defeat, New York’s sixth straight win, was fueled by a sustained Knicks run in the third quarter that allowed them to break open a tight contest.
A collective effort from the Knicks, led by OG Anunoby‘s 25 points and significant bench production, kept them in control late, while the Lakers couldn’t capitalize on early leads.
But beyond the final scoreline, a moment in the third quarter involving Lakers star LeBron James has become a focal point for analysts and fans: on at least one defensive sequence, James appeared to be waiting for an outlet pass on the opposite end while Knicks players swarmed on the defensive glass.
That positioning drew criticism from teammates on the floor, including big man Jarred Vanderbilt, who later questioned the effort in private conversations.
Lakers defense under microscope
Los Angeles entered this season with high expectations after pairing James with fellow All-Star Luka Doncic, but defensive inconsistency has plagued the club.
Through early February, the Lakers rank among the bottom third of the NBA in points allowed per possession, keeping them from closing out tight games.
Head coach JJ Redick has been candid about these struggles, publicly urging his players to make stronger individual choices on that end of the floor and acknowledging that many of his defenders aren’t consistently engaged.
“We practice this stuff enough … it comes down to … just making the choice,” Redick said back in December, underscoring that effort is often the simplest barometer of defensive success.
In the loss at MSG, Knicks role players such as Landry Shamet (23 points) and Josh Hart (20 points) provided scoring balance and defensive activity that forced Los Angeles into rotations that left them outnumbered.
Meanwhile, the Lakers‘ defensive approach struggled to contain ball movement and perimeter shots following New York’s halftime adjustments.
James scored 22 points with six assists and five rebounds, but defensive ratings from independent analytics also reflected the Lakers‘ issues, a trend not limited to a single game.
Long stretches where opponents have attacked mismatches and secured high-percentage attempts have magnified the absence of reliable defensive anchors outside the team’s stars.
This comes amidst growing scrutiny of James‘ role on that end of the floor: he has shifted into a more situational defender as he adapts to his 23rd NBA season, prioritizing matchups with elite wings or activity on help rotations over consistently tracking his own assignment.
From the Lakers‘ perspective, this loss illustrated persistent structural issues: strong individual performances from stars like James and Doncic can keep the team close, but a lack of rotation defense and timely help has made closing out games difficult.
Redick‘s earlier remarks about choice and effort still loom large in the narrative around this team’s identity.
With trade deadline chatter looming and James‘ availability beyond the season uncertain, the Lakers are navigating both on-court and roster questions.
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