Here is what you need to know before the Lakers take a trip to Madison Square Garden against New York.
1) The Lakers are currently coming off their first win of the season. L.A. knocked off Brooklyn on Friday thanks to a renewed defensive effort and four players with at least 14 points.
2) Jordan Clarkson has thrived off the pick-and-roll this season. The sophomore has shot 16-of-26 (61.5 percent) as the ballhandler in such situations — mostly with drives to the hoop — which currently leads the league.
3) The Lakers are visiting some familiar faces in former head coach Phil Jackson — now New York’s team president — and former point guard Derek Fisher — now Knicks head coach. Along with Kobe Bryant, both men were part of L.A.’s past five championship teams.
4) Fisher’s coaching staff features Showtime Laker Kurt Rambis, who won four championships with L.A. from 1981-88. Rambis has also been a Lakers assistant in three different stints — 1994-99, 2001-04 and 2013-14.
5) Another Laker-turned-Knick is a rather unexpected one. After a four year-absence from the NBA (save for two games with the Clippers in 2014), Sasha Vujacic is back and has started each game for New York thus far in the season. The 31-year-old’s time with the Lakers is highlighted by Game 7 of the 2010 NBA Finals when he hit a pair of free throws with 11.7 seconds left to give L.A. a four-point lead over Boston.
6) The Lakers are facing off against one of the NBA’s great scorers, Carmelo Anthony. The 10-time all-star has the third-most points of any New York-born player (21,050), behind legends Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (38,387) and Michael Jordan (32,292).
7) New York has invested its future in fourth-overall pick Kristaps Porzingis, who has not disappointed yet. He is averaging 12.3 points and 8.3 rebounds, while leading all rookies in steals (1.5). Porzingis has already announced his arrival in loud fashion by hammering put-back dunks over LaMarcus Aldridge and Kevin Love.
8) L.A. must make sure to close out on Second Team All-Rookie honoree Langston Galloway. The former Westchester Knicks D-League call-up is currently second in the NBA in 3-point percentage (59.1), having started the season a scorching 13-of-22.
9) Both teams feature one of the NBA’s most frequent hook-shot users. Last year, New York’s Kevin Seraphinn shot a league-best 70.3 percent on hooks, followed by L.A.’s Roy Hibbert (61.4 percent). The new Laker is fond of hook shots more than any other in the NBA, as he has led the league in made hooks for four straight seasons.
10) The Lakers are trying to get back in the win column at Madison Square Garden. The purple and gold have lost three straight in New York’s legendary home arena, with their last victory coming on Feb. 11, 2011.
