Knicks' moral victory found in Lakers loss

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The New York Knicks recently lost a nail-biter in overtime to the Los Angeles Lakers. They also lost All-Star points guard Jalen Brunson to an ankle injury. Despite the doubly bad loss, the Knicks should look on the bright side: they were incredibly competitive—and potentially on their way to a win— against a very good team on the road. That should be seen as a moral victory, at the very least.

Granted, the Lakers aren’t on the same level as the Boston Celtics, Cleveland Cavaliers, or Oklahoma City Thunder, against whom they are a combined 0-7. But the Lakers’ stock is rising by the day. They are the second seed in the West, have won eight consecutive games, and are 9-2 since adding Luka Doncic via trade. In addition to beating the Knicks, the post-trade Lakers have wins against the Denver Nuggets, Minnesota Timberwolves, and Los Angeles Clippers (twice).

How does a loss to the Lakers help?

Still, how exactly does a loss amount to a moral victory? Well, first of all, the fact that New York played the Lakers so competitively on the road is impressive in itself. Los Angeles is 25-7 at home. So, coming within striking distance of a win, which might have ended differently if not for Brunson’s injury, is something.

But moral victories require more than just competition. The fact of the matter is that the Knicks looked really good for much of the game. They played fluidly, getting shots up and pushing the pace. New York launched 43 three-pointers, nearly nine more than their 34.2 three-point attempt per game average. That’s a feat in and of itself, considering they are 27th in the NBA in three-point attempts. The Knicks also crashed the offensive glass last night, grabbing 14 offensive rebounds, which is nearly four more than their season average (10.8).

Shifting the focus to individual performances, New York received stellar play from Brunson, who put on a show. Brunson tallied 39 points and 10 assists before injuring his ankle. X-rays on Brunson’s ankle were negative, but an MRI will reveal more about the severity of the injury. However, Brunson was ruled out for the second game in their back-to-backs against the Los Angeles Clippers.

The Knicks looked quite good despite not getting an overly strong performance from Towns. Yes, he grabbed 14 rebounds, but the seven-footer scored only 12 points, and shot just one-for-six on three-pointers, indicating that Towns is probably still mourning the recent loss of a family member.

Further, while OG Anunoby and Josh Hart both made considerable contributions, Mikal Bridges continued to struggle. He scored only six points on three-for-six shooting.

Brunson’s injury could provide an opportunity 

Ankle injuries can take a good deal of time to heal, with or without a broken bone. Hopefully, Brunson’s is on the mild side. And hopefully, he’s back soon.

But this injury can be seen as a blessing in disguise for two reasons. First, it gets Brunson some extra rest. While healing from an injury is hardly the type of rest a team wants for its star so close to the playoffs, any rest is better than no rest. Allowing the body to heal and eliminate inflammation is key to remaining fresh. And we all know coach Tom Thibodeau isn’t going to voluntarily rest Brunson.

Next, a Brunson-less lineup provides an opportunity for Bridges. Sure, Miles McBride and Cam Payne (and, dare we suggest, Tyler Kolek) will probably see most of Brunson’s minutes. But New York will need an offensive pick-me-up to fill the Brunson-sized hole in the lineup. Maybe this is an opportunity for Bridges to be featured more explicitly in the offensive. The idea that Bridges has struggled to find a rhythm thus far makes sense considering how few plays are called for him. Getting Bridges more touches is as good a way as any to make him feel more comfortable. And without Brunson, those touches—and points—are absolutely necessary.

On the whole, the Knicks looked good against the Lakers before the Brunson injury. And if not for that ankle roll, Knicks fans would have probably settled for whatever outcome they received.

But getting Brunson some extra rest and—possibly—getting Bridges into a rhythm could be infinitely more valuable than a few extra wins in March. Still, Brunson has to come back healthy for any of it to matter.

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