The Los Angeles Lakers have been one of the most inconsistent teams in the NBA this season, but they still had enough to shut down the hottest team in the league.
The Lakers snapped the New York Knicks' nine-game win streak on Saturday behind a lockdown defensive performance in the fourth quarter, quieting a raucous Madison Square Garden crowd with a ___ win.
The Knicks entered the game with an 86-80 lead, but then went as cold as they have all season. The team went scoreless for more than seven minutes, missing 11 straight shots as the clock went from 7:25 left in the game to only 40 seconds left.
The biggest difference-maker was Anthony Davis, even if he only had 12 points on 4-of-12 shooting (plus five assists). His rebounding (18 boards) and defense (five blocks) gave the Knicks fits all night, forcing them to choose between staying at the perimeter or go for an awkward drive in the paint. Knicks starting center Isaiah Hartenstein finished with six points on 2-of-9 shooting with five personal fouls.
That performance included two blocks on one fast break to derail a pivotal opportunity for New York.
This article will be updated with more information.