Exactly one year ago, the Lakers were in the same spot as on Sunday, when the Knicks host them again in Madison Square Garden.
They defeated the Knicks last year on February 1, 128-112, a normal regular-season game.
But just hours after that game, the Lakers made one of the most shocking trades in NBA history, acquiring Luka Doncic from the Mavericks as part of a three-team deal.
The Mavericks, despite landing Cooper Flagg with the No. 1 pick in the draft, have been in a spiral since giving up their franchise superstar — Anthony Davis, their top return in trade, is injured and Nico Harrison, the architect of that deal as general manager, has been fired.
The Lakers, on the other hand, return to MSG a year later with Doncic playing some of the best basketball of his career.
He is averaging 33.7 points per game, along with 8.8 assists and 7.8 rebounds.
He is one of the favorites for MVP, but probably behind Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.
He recorded a triple-double just before halftime in the Lakers’ loss to the Wizards on Friday.
“It’s hard to describe because most of us can’t imagine being that good,” Lakers coach JJ Redick said. “It’s destructive to the other team when you actually cross half court and have to send a second defender when we’re playing 4-on-3.”
Doncic will be by far the toughest test yet for the Knicks’ defensive revival.
During their current five-game winning streak, the Knicks have a defensive rating of 92.8 – the best in the NBA during that stretch.
Through the 11 games before that, nine of which the Knicks lost as their season threatened to get away from them, they had a defensive rating of 119.9 – third-worst in the league.
The Knicks will likely match up Mikal Bridges with Doncic, although OG Anunoby and Landry Shamet could also face him.
“It’s not one guy who’s responsible for stopping another guy,” coach Mike Brown said. “That doesn’t happen in the NBA. You have to be connected defensively. Basically, five guys have to be on a string. When the ball is moving, everyone has to move. If five guys are guarding the basketball like a string, you usually get pretty good results.”
The Knicks held Portland’s Deni Avdija, who is averaging 25.5 points per game this year, to just 11 points in their win over the Trail Blazers on Friday.
But Doncic is a whole other level of star.
Fans are paying exorbitant prices for tickets considering it may be LeBron James’ last game at MSG.
However, Doncic has taken over the reins of the Lakers.
He, not James or Jalen Brunson, will be the best talent on the field.
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