Julius Randle, Knicks hold off Lakers 112-108 to snap 3-game skid

LOS ANGELES(AP) — Julius Randle scored 33 points in a bounce-back performance,RJ Barrett got 20 of his 30 in the second half, and the New YorkKnicks snapped their three-game losing streak with a 112-108victory over the Los Angeles Lakers on Sunday night.

ImmanuelQuickley had 15 points as the Knicks survived a ferocious laterally by the Lakers to salvage a weekend split in Los Angeleswithout second-leading scorer Jalen Brunson, who has a bruised leftfoot.

Los Angelesscored eight straight points down the stretch to make it close,trimming New York’s lead to 110-108 on Dennis Schröder’s layup with19.3 seconds left. After Los Angeles needed 14 seconds to commit afoul to stop the clock, former Lakers guard Josh Hart hit two freethrows to seal it.

New Yorkhadn’t won since its impressive nine-game winning streak ended aweek ago, but Randle added eight rebounds and five assists one dayafter struggling through a 5-for-24 shooting effort in a loss tothe Clippers.

D’AngeloRussell had a season-high 33 points and eight assists despitemanaging just two points in the fourth quarter for the Lakers,whose three-game winning streak ended with only their fourth lossin 12 games since the trade deadline.

Randle andRussell spent two seasons together as teammates with the Lakers.Russell got off to a scorching start in his highest-scoringperformance since rejoining LA, but went 1 for 5 and missed three3-point attempts in the fourth quarter.

AnthonyDavis had 17 points and 16 rebounds, but the Lakers fell behindduring an erratic shooting performance by three starters: MalikBeasley, Troy Brown Jr. and Jarred Vanderbilt were a combined 5 for23, missing 14 of their 16 3-point attempts.

Los Angelesdropped to 4-3 during the latest injury absence for LeBron James,who missed his seventh straight game with a sore right foot.

Randlescored 18 points in the first quarter with help from seven freethrows after he complained publicly about the officiating inSaturday’s loss to the Clippers. Russell kept the Lakers close with23 points in the first half, but Randle’s 3-pointer shortly beforehalftime put the Knicks up at the break.

TIP-INS

Knicks:Coach Tom Thibodeau gave no timetable for his return, sayingBrunson will “continue to do treatments and see where he is.”Brunson has missed four of New York’s last five games. ... New Yorkbeat the Lakers in Los Angeles for the first time in four meetingssince 2019.

Lakers:James wasn’t wearing a walking boot when he returned to watch fromthe Lakers’ bench. He missed their previous two games whileapparently taking some time away with his family. Coach Darvin Hamsaid James’ rehab is “going according to plan,” but it was good forthe NBA’s career scoring leader to “unplug a little bit.” ... LosAngeles got 43 combined points from the only four bench playersused by Ham.

UPNEXT

Knicks:Host Portland on Tuesday.

Lakers: AtNew Orleans on Tuesday.