The New York Knicks will be taking on the coveted Los Angeles Lakers for the first time this season on Tuesday as New York begins a four-game home stand.
Both teams are coming off losses and will be looking to bounce back, with both of them losing to the Brooklyn Nets in each of their previous games.
The Knicks especially will look to get back on track after gaining two impressive victories over the Cleveland Cavaliers and Boston Celtics prior to their last loss.
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The Knicks will look to be more prepared for Tuesday
After Saturday’s 122-115 loss to the Brooklyn Nets, Knicks star forward Julius Randle said that he felt that the Knicks “weren’t ready for some reason.” He would appear to be right with that sentiment, as New York allowed 22 made threes to Brooklyn and was rather lethargic on the defensive side of the floor all night.
This time, the Knicks have had three days in between their last game and this one to rest and prepare, so there should be no excuse as to why they would not be ready.
The Knicks will also have a few advantages in Tuesday’s matchup. Despite the Knicks’ struggles at home, the Lakers are just 10-16 on the road this season.
The Lakers will also be playing on the second half of a back-to-back, and there is also the possibility that they will be playing without their superstar duo, LeBron James and Anthony Davis.
The pair both sat out in Monday’s game against Brooklyn, citing ankle soreness for James and injury management for Davis. James is just 117 points away from passing Kareem Abdul-Jabbar for the top spot on the all-time scoring list. The Lakers will evaluate James before Tuesday’s game to see if he is available to play.
Nevertheless, the Knicks need to properly prepare and gameplan for both with and without the star duo. If they both do play, the Knicks will be up for yet another challenge, as their past several games have all been against All-Stars without the possibility of another such game on Tuesday.
Davis missed 20 games with a foot injury before returning to the lineup last week. He is averaging 26.7 points, and 12 rebounds per game in 27 games played this season. James is continuing to show that he does not age, as he is averaging 30/8/7 this season at the ripe age of 38.
Another big game from Randle will be the best way to neutralize the star pair. He is averaging a career-high 24.7 points per game along with 10.8 rebounds and is averaging 29/12/5 in his last five games. The Knicks would certainly like for him to continue to strengthen his All-NBA campaign.
Tuesday’s game should be a fun-filled one littered with star talent. If the Knicks are actually ready this time, then they have a strong chance to start the home-stand with a victory.
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