Lakers Defeat Knicks Without LeBron

Doncic and Reaves lead Lakers to victory over in-form Knicks

Published on Mar. 9, 2026

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The Los Angeles Lakers defeated the New York Knicks 110-97 on Sunday, shrugging off the injury absence of star player LeBron James. Luka Doncic led the way for the Lakers, scoring 35 points, while Austin Reaves also had a strong performance.

Why it matters

The Lakers' victory over the Knicks, who had been playing well, demonstrates the team's depth and ability to win without their superstar LeBron James. This could be an important result as the Lakers look to secure a playoff spot in the competitive Western Conference.

The details

Slovenian star Luka Doncic scored 35 points to lead the Lakers to the convincing win over the Knicks. Austin Reaves also had a strong game for the Lakers, contributing to the victory. The Lakers were able to overcome the absence of LeBron James, who was out due to injury.

  • The game was played on Sunday, March 8, 2026.

The players

Luka Doncic

A Slovenian professional basketball player who plays for the Los Angeles Lakers.

Austin Reaves

An American professional basketball player who plays for the Los Angeles Lakers.

LeBron James

An American professional basketball player who plays for the Los Angeles Lakers.

New York Knicks

A professional basketball team based in New York City that plays in the NBA.

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The takeaway

The Lakers' ability to win without LeBron James demonstrates the team's depth and resilience, which could be crucial as they look to secure a playoff spot in the competitive Western Conference.