LeBron James reaches historic milestone in Lakers' thrilling win over Knicks

The superstar duo of LeBron James and Luka Doncic delivered once again, leading the Los Angeles Lakers to a hard-fought 113-109 overtime victory against the New York Knicks on Thursday night. The win extended the Lakers’ streak to eight games in a contest that had the intensity of a playoff matchup.  

Both teams battled down the stretch, with the Lakers overcoming a double-digit deficit to secure the win. James finished just shy of a triple-double, posting 31 points, 12 rebounds and eight assists while shooting 11-of-23 from the field. He knocked down two three-pointers and converted seven of his eight free throws.  

The victory, which keeps the Lakers second in the Western Conference at 40-21, marked a historic achievement for James. With his 1,002nd career win, he moved into third place on the NBA’s all-time regular-season wins list, surpassing Tim Duncan (1,001). He now trails only Robert Parish (1,014) and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (1,074).

Doncic added 32 points, 12 assists and seven rebounds, including five points in overtime, reinforcing his growing impact on the team. The Lakers are now 9-2 in games he has played since joining the franchise. 

Gabe Vincent and Dalton Knecht also provided valuable contributions off the bench, scoring 12 and 11 points, respectively.  

"Our guys, in what felt like a playoff game at times, really just gutted out a win," Redick said following the win, via the Associated Press. 

"I think it’s a good reminder for our group going forward that we can win games like this where we’re not at our best offensively," he added, "where we get off to a slow start defensively but we have enough toughness and grit to get these games."

The game also dealt a significant blow to the Knicks, as star guard Jalen Brunson suffered an ankle injury in overtime. While driving to the rim, he twisted his right ankle after making contact with Austin Reaves. Despite sinking both free throws, he limped off the court and did not return.  

The Knicks continue their road trip on Friday against the Clippers at the Intuit Dome, while the Lakers embark on a four-game road trip, starting with a marquee matchup against the Boston Celtics on Saturday.