Lakers at Knicks
Two of the most disappointing teams in the NBA square off Sunday when the Los Angeles Lakers visit the New York Knicks. The Lakers defeated the Chicago Bulls on Thursday to halt a losing streak at nine games and avoid matching the longest since the franchise moved to Los Angeles. New York won four of five games in its best stretch of the season before being routed by the Indiana Pacers on Thursday.
Carmelo Anthony averaged 32 points in two games against Los Angeles last season and considered the Lakers as a free agent in the offseason before opting to stay in New York. Los Angeles is beginning a four-game road excursion and coach Byron Scott is worried about the Knicks. “I think the thing that concerns me the most is the fact that they’ve been losing just like us,” Scott told reporters. “It’s like having a wild animal backed in the corner – they’re going to come out fighting. So we just have to be ready for it.”
TV: 2 p.m. ET, TWC SportsNet (Los Angeles), MSG (New York)
ABOUT THE LAKERS (13-34): Rookie point guard Jordan Clarkson has impressed since moving into the starting lineup and he has been watching film and talking strategy with injured Steve Nash. “I tried to implement some of that stuff,” Clarkson told reporters. “It’s hard to do it off one day of work, but it’s just going to continue to grow. It’s just putting one brick down at a time.” Clarkson, a second-round pick, has started the last four games and has scored 18 points in each of the last two.
ABOUT THE KNICKS (9-38): This is the third straight New York contest pulled off of national television and that doesn’t sit well with Anthony. “The last three games we were supposed to be on national television, so they took us off,” Anthony told reporters. “But they’ll want us back on there soon. They’ll want us back.” Anthony has been the one consistently good player for the Knicks, who have been going the 10-day contract route to take a look at players. They identified a keeper in guard Langston Galloway.
BUZZER BEATERS
1. New York has won seven straight home games against the Lakers.
2. The Knicks signed F Lou Amundson and F Lance Thomas for the remainder of the season Saturday.
3. Los Angeles SF Nick Young (ankle) will likely miss his third straight game.