The Los Angeles Lakers were coming off a big, exciting road win over the Boston Celtics, so the New York Knicks were hoping they might be able to catch L.A. mid-hangover and steal a win Friday night. No such luck. Kobe Bryant hit contested shot after contested shot (he had 19 points in the first quarter) and the Laker big men were too much for the undersized Knicks to handle inside. The Knicks kept it close with a fast-paced attack in the first quarter, but they lost some speed and plenty of accuracy in the ensuing three quarters. They faced a double-digit deficit by halftime and never really threatened to come back after the break.
Raymond Felton played solidly (20 points, 7 assists), and was instrumental in that competitive first quarter, during which he hit three 3-pointers. Danilo Gallinari shot poorly (4-15), but dished out six assists, earned six free throws, and played pretty solid defense on Bryant, despite what the numbers might say. That was pretty much it, though. The Knicks shot just 41 percent as a team, including 5-20 from outside.
And with that, the Knicks are back to .500, a place they haven't been since November, when a big win streak erased their 3-8 start. They'll have a chance to get back in the win column (or officially become a losing team again) Saturday night against the Nets.
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