Lakers at Knicks
LeBron James is expected back in the lineup Sunday when the fading Los Angeles Lakers continue a five-game road trip at the New York Knicks. The Lakers are 1-2 on the trip, dropping a 111-97 decision at Detroit on Friday with James being held out for rest purposes.
The setback was the seventh in the last eight games for Los Angeles, which entered Saturday 8 1/2 games out of a playoff spot in the Western Conference with 13 to play. "We had to play with pretty much everyone we had, we were down in bodies," Lakers coach Luke Walton told reporters Friday. "We played hard enough to win, but we didn't make enough shots to win." The Knicks are inching closer to locking up the worst record in the NBA, having lost eight in a row to sink 2 1/2 games behind Phoenix in the league basement. New York capped an 0-3 road trip with a 109-83 setback at San Antonio on Friday.
TV: Noon ET, Spectrum SportsNet (Los Angeles), MSG (New York)
ABOUT THE LAKERS (31-38): Having already lost forward Brandon Ingram (arm) and guard Lonzo Ball (ankle) for the remainder of the season, and also playing without veterans Lance Stephenson (toe) and Tyson Chandler (neck), Los Angeles had little to offer in Detroit. Center JaVale McGee took advantage of an opportunity with 20 points, 13 rebounds and three blocks. Point guard Rajon Rondo had another solid outing while flirting with a triple-double and he is averaging 14 points, 8.3 assists and 5.7 rebounds on the trip.
ABOUT THE KNICKS (13-56): New York has some physical issues of its own with point guard Dennis Smith Jr. (back) missing the game in San Antonio and forward Noah Vonleh leaving the contest due to an ankle injury. Damyean Dotson scored a team-high 21 points in the loss and he is averaging 21.7 while making 11-of-23 3-pointers over the last three contests. Center DeAndre Jordan came one assist shy of recording his first career triple-double for the Knicks, who received a total of 12 assists from their other 11 players.
BUZZER BEATERS
1. James was sidelined with a groin injury when the Knicks won 119-112 at Los Angeles earlier this season.
2. New York C Mitchell Robinson has at least one blocked shot in 26 straight games, two shy of matching Patrick Ewing's team record for a rookie.
3. Lakers PF Kyle Kuzma is averaging 9.5 points -- roughly half his season average -- while missing all seven of his 3-point tries over the last two games.