Hart’s Game-Winner a Split Second Late; Knicks Lose Brunson & Game in OT. Lakers 113 NY 109

March 8, 2025 LouV 2024-25 0

Josh Hart‘s game-winning runner went in but was a split second too late, and the Knicks lost Jalen Brunson and the game to the Lakers in Overtime, 113-109 on a Thursday night in LA.

Brunson badly sprained his ankle on a drive ahead of the field with 1:24 left in OT, his ankle turning 90-degrees as he came down after being fouled. After several minutes on the floor he gamely inched over to the free throw line, made both free throws to tie the game at 107, then left for the locker room.

The Lakers then took the game as:

The Knicks had out-played the Lakers throughout and had a 10-pt lead with 7 minutes left in the 4th quarter, but the Lakers tied it down the stretch on a couple of 3’s by Gabe Vincent and a 3 by LeBron James — then went ahead on a throw-away 29-footer by LeBron.

Jalen Brunson (39 pts) carried the Knicks all game and heroically tied the game with 46 seconds left in regulation with a drive-and-1. NY defended well and LeBron missed a 3, but Hart’s game-winning runner was a split second late.

“It was a hard-fought game,” said coach Tom Thibodeau afterwards. “It came down to the stretch. Lot of tough plays when we couldn’t get to a loose ball; things like that. Often times that’s the difference. But overall I thought the first 3 and a half quarters were very, very good. Obviously we have to close out better.”

NY falls to 40-22; the Lakers improve to 40-21 and leapfrog the Knicks as the team with the 4th best record in the NBA.

1. Knicks Out to Avenge Loss to Lakers in NY

The Knicks were out to avenge a 128-112 loss to the Lakers in early February, when OG Anunoby went out at the half with a foot injury, and the Lakers beat NY down the stretch at Madison Square Garden.

The Knicks played a much tougher D in this game, with Karl-Anthony Towns doing a defensive job on LeBron James. According to NBAStats, LeBron James and Luka Doncic shot a combined 4-16 with Karl-Anthony Towns as the primary defender.

But the defensive work must have taken its toll on KAT offensively, as he was only 3-13 for 12 pts on the evening — with 14 rebounds and a -1.

OG Anunoby also defended LeBron, and had a strong game with 20 pts on 7-18 shooting (4-11 from 3). Josh Hart took turns defending LeBron and Doncic as well; Hart also had a strong game with 18 pts on 6-13 shooting with 10 rebounds.

Jalen Brunson got the Knicks off to a decent start — with 14 pts in the 1st quarter, although the Lakers led 31-27.

2. NY Up by 9 at the Half

Landry Shamet and Josh Hart both hit 3’s to start the 2nd quarter to put NY up 33-32.

OG Anunoby then went on a scoring spree — a dunk off a Miles McBride pass, a 3, a deuce, and another 3 — to give NY a 52-42 lead. OG hit ANOTHER 3 with 2 minutes left in the 2nd quarter to put NY up 13.

The Lakers pulled back to within 11. Luka Doncic was fouled by OG with .1 second left in the quarter; Luka made both free throws to pull LA within 9 at the half.

3. Doncic Leads Lakers; Brunson Leads Knicks

Luka Doncic carried the Lakers in the 3rd and 4th quarters as their primary ball handler and play maker. He finished the night with 32 pts on 9-23 shooting (4-12 from 3, 10-12 in free throws).

After the game a Laker fan’s tweet that accused Jalen Brunson of being a foul-baiter went viral, but Luka also got call after call on inconsequential contact. Luka also complained constantly on calls he didn’t get, as is his reputation.

Brunson carried the Knicks in scoring in the 3rd quarter — NY entered the 4th up by 8 pts at 84-76.

4. NY Up by 10 with 7 Minutes Left in Game

Mitchell Robinson gave the Knicks DEFENSE and size inside; he was missing when the Knicks played the Lakers in February. Robinson — on a minutes restriction — played 13 strong minutes, with 6 pts on 2-3 shooting (2-2 in free throws!), 4 rebounds, and a +2.

5. Laker Serendipity Gives them the Lead

A Mikal Bridges 15-footer gave NY a 10-pt lead with 6:57 left but the Lakers got serendipity down the stretch — a Gabe Vincent 3 from the corner pulled LA within 5, and a LeBron James 3 made it a 1-pt game, 91-90 NY, with 4:28 left.

NY went back up 94-90, but with 2:56 left, NY defense forced a Luka miss, but LA got the serendipity offensive rebound, and Gabe Vincent hit another 3 for a 94-93 game.

Brunson hit a CLUTCH floater to put NY back up 3, but LeBron James hit a throw-away 3 from the parking lot (29 feet out) for a tie game 96-96 with 1:51 left.

Gabe Vincent then hit ANOTHER 3 and the Lakers were up 3 with 1:21 left.

6. Brunson Heroic Down Stretch for Knicks

After a Knick timeout, Doncic stole the inbounds pass from Bridges — and it looked bad for NY. But LeBron missed a 3, KAT got the rebound, fed Brunson, who came down and hit a CLUTCH drive-and-1 — making the free throw for a tie game.

7. Hart Game-Winning Runner a Second Too Late

Mitchell Robinson kept coming in for KAT for Defense late in the game. The Knicks forced a LeBron miss — Robinson getting the rebound with 9 seconds left. Out of a timeout, the Laker defense was intense, but Hart broke free down the lane and made a runner as the clock expired — but the ball was out of his hands a split second too late — the clock had expired. On to OT.

8. Brunson Injured in OT

The Lakers jumped out to a 105-100 lead in OT on a Luka 14 footer and a 3, but Brunson led the Knicks back with a drive for free throws, and a pullup.

Austin Reeves killed the Knicks with a 3, but Brunson was right back at the Lakers with a drive for free throws and a 107-105 game, Lakers up.

That’s when LeBron missed a 6 footer, Brunson grabbed the rebound and went full court, getting fouled by Austin Reeves and coming down badly on his ankle. He limped gingerly to the foul line and made both free throws for a tie game at 107.

9. Lakers Take It After Brunson Goes Out

With Brunson gone, the Lakers took the game:

  • Jaxson Hayes was fouled by Karl-Anthony Towns and made both free throws with 59 seconds left to put LA up by 2,
  • Miles McBride missed a game-tying jumper with 39 seconds left,
  • KAT fouled LeBron James on the rebound — James making both free throws to put LA up 4,
  • OG Anunoby hit a drive-and-1, but missed the free throw that would have put NY a point down with 10 seconds left — instead they were down 2, and
  • LeBron James made both free throws after being intentionally fouled.

The Boxscore

https://www.espn.com/nba/boxscore/_/gameId/401705469

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