Jules Rules! Knicks Rebound in LA, Snap Losing Streak vs. Lakers

Some sterling rebounding efforts allowed the New York Knicks to clinch their 40th win of the season, topping the Los Angeles Lakers to force a Southern California split.

Mired in a three-game losing streak, the New York Knicks needed to rebound when facing the surging Los Angeles Lakers on Sunday at Crypto.com Arena. They did so and then some in capturing a potentially momentum-shifting victory. 

The Knicks painted Los Angeles blue and orange with a strong interior showing in a 112-108 interconference triumph, as five different New Yorkers had at least five rebounds. Scoring was handled by Julius Randle (33 points) and RJ Barrett (30), who recovered from brutal openings to the California trip to create the Hollywood ending despite missing starting point guard Jalen Brunson for the fourth time in the last five games. Isaiah Hartenstein led the aforementioned rebounders from the bench, pulling in 10 despite failing to score.

Thus ends the Knicks' first three-game losing streak since Jan. 16-22. New York (40-30) also salvaged a split of a speedy doubleheader in the City of Angels. 

While the fourth quarter spelled their doom against the Clippers on Saturday, the Knicks flipped the script in Hollywood against the famed gold and purple. Barrett found his scoring touch by putting in 13 of his points over the final dozen minutes, including a stretch of six consecutive points that gave the Knicks a permanent lead. 

Los Angeles (33-35), on precarious ground toward the outskirts of the Western Conference playoff picture, saw a three-game winning streak end and missed out on an opportunity to secure a .500 record for the first time this season. Wasted in defeat was a season-best 33-point showing for D'Angelo Russell. Only Anthony Davis had any challenge for the Knicks' rebounding efforts, pulling down 15 to go with 14 points in another double-double. 

The final game of the Knicks'p four-stop Western Conference lands on Tuesday night when they head to the Pacific Northwest to battle the Portland Trail Blazers (10 p.m. ET, MSG). It'll be the first meeting between the two sides since a trade deadline deal swapped Josh Hart and Cam Reddish.

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Geoff Magliocchetti is on Twitter @GeoffJMags

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