LeBron James addressed the Lakers’ 112-100 loss to the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden on Sunday.
“Obviously, three-point shooting. We couldn’t consistently make shots from the perimeter and then extra possessions. They got extra possessions they kicked out for corners and knocked him down. I think that was a game right there,” James said, identifying the key factor in the defeat.
James spoke about his 22nd consecutive All-Star selection, describing it as “super humbling. The coaches voted, right? Mad respect to the coaches. Them seeing I’m still playing at this latter stage of my career to be able to be an All-Star, that means a lot.”
Reflecting on the Lakers’ roster after last year’s trade, he noted, “We’re 29-19 right now. We’ve had some really good moments and we have not so good moments… I like this group, but we gotta get better. That is good. It should only be February 1, but we want to continue to get better and better.”
James also addressed the impact of missed games due to Austin Reaves’ injury, saying, “Unfortunately, our All-Star two guard has been out for a minute and that was a big piece for our team. So, it’s kind of hard to see what we can really truly be.”
On his own health and performance, he added, “Yeah. How do I look? Sorry I’m trying to look pretty. Pretty good. When did I just pass like 60,000 minutes? I hope I look pretty good.”
The Lakers star reflected on playing at Madison Square Garden, calling it “the mecca of basketball here in New York City. Obviously being here MSG, playing, playing here… I hope like a little small snippet of… somebody that came through here was able to make a little small dent. So it’s cool. It’s always electric in here.”
He also appreciated the ovation he received from fans, saying, “Pretty cool man. I’ve always loved these fans here. Love New York. Always respect. They got great knowledge of basketball and sports in general. They know what sports is all about.”
Looking ahead, James acknowledged the reality of his career’s trajectory, stating, “At the end of day everything has to come to an end at some point. So no matter when it is it’s gonna be like never play again in Madison Square Garden… this one will always have like a special place.”
The Lakers, now 29-19, were led by James with 22 points, six assists, and five rebounds, while Luka Doncic added 30 points, 15 rebounds, and eight assists. New York improved to 31-18 with OG Anunoby scoring 25 points and Landry Shamet adding 23 off the bench.
