The Knicks will have two All-Stars playing in Los Angeles in two weeks, Jalen Brunson and Karl-Anthony Towns.<\/p>\n
That\u2019s not who led them to a win on Sunday \u2014 the Knicks depth was on full display. It was OG Anunoby scoring 25 to lead the New York in scoring, all while playing lockdown defense.<\/p>\n
It was Landry Shamet coming off the bench to knock down six 3-pointers and score 23. It was Josh Hart scoring 20 on 8-of-11 shooting.<\/p>\n
It was the Knicks pulling away in the fourth to secure a 112-100 win over the Lakers in a highly anticipated game in Madison Square Garden. <\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s huge…\u201d Hart said of Anunoby being aggressive. \u201cIt opens the court up. He\u2019s someone who obviously can knock down shots but get to the rim with his size and strength really at will so we need him to continue to do that. I think he\u2019s in a good mental space of being aggressive and getting to the rim.\u201d<\/p>\n
That makes it five straight wins for the Knicks, who have given up less than a point per possession in that streak and have the best defense in the NBA for those five games. Coach Mike Brown said postgame that they had recently simplified some things for their perimeter defenders \u2014 so they know better where the help is coming from \u2014 and it has worked.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think the biggest part of our defense has been our communication, our physicality, our accountability without having to point fingers and say who was wrong or who wasn\u2019t,\u201d Brunson said postgame. \u201cJust kind of being on the string and be on the same page, I think that\u2019s the biggest part of our turnaround so far.\u201d<\/p>\n