The Lakers arrive in New York riding high after a dominant win over the Washington Wizards, but their biggest concern heading into Sunday’s matchup with the Knicks has little to do with momentum. Instead, all eyes are on the health of Luka Doncic and LeBron James, whose availability will ultimately determine how competitive Los Angeles can be at Madison Square Garden.

Doncic is coming off a stellar performance against Washington, while James added vintage highlights with thunderous dunks and alley-oops. Yet with both stars managing nagging injuries, their status for the clash against a red-hot Knicks team remains uncertain. Facing an opponent that has won five straight games, the Lakers can’t afford to be short-handed if they hope to keep their recent run going.

Are Luka Doncic, LeBron James playing tonight? Latest injury update on the Lakers

The Los Angeles Lakers have had several injury troubles throughout this campaign, but they are currently in much better shape in terms of player health. Therefore, the Lakers’ cornerstone, Luka Doncic, who leads the league in scoring this season, is available and ready to deliver another exceptional performance against the Knicks in New York.

The Slovenian has been extremely consistent this season. He also boasts a strong record on the road, averaging 33.2 points, 8.9 assists, and 8.3 rebounds while shooting 48% from the field. This puts him in good standing ahead of a crucial away game against an in-form team.

On the other hand, the Lakers’ superstar, LeBron James, has missed a few games due to sciatica issues. But now those problems seem to have subsided, and he is back to his physical best.

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While there’s no question the 41-year-old has slowed down in his 23rd season in the league, the Lakers benefit from his experience, basketball IQ, and winning mentality in the dressing room, which goes far beyond the statsheet.

Lakers Injury Report

In terms of absentees, only Austin Reaves is listed as questionable for the Lakers in this contest, as he is dealing with a calf issue. Rookie star Adou Thiero is also on the sidelines with a right MCL sprain.

Are Jalen Brunson, Karl-Anthony Towns playing tonight? Latest injury report on Knicks

The Knicks are heading into this game on a five-game winning streak, and in most of those wins, their star guard, Jalen Brunson, has played a pivotal role with productive performances. Even Karl-Anthony Towns has been extremely effective, with strong rebounding and physicality on defense.

Approaching this home game against the Lakers, the Knicks would need both their All-Star players to step up and maintain this level of efficiency. They both are physically fit and ready to take part in this East-West showdown.

Brunson has been playing at a different level this season. The 29-year-old dynamic guard is averaging 27.6 points, 5.9 assists, and 3.1 rebounds while shooting 47.5% from the field. His brilliance helped the Knicks win the NBA Cup this season, and now his target is to guide his team to the Championship.

Meanwhile, Karl-Anthony Towns has also been a crucial player for the Knicks this season. He is putting up double-double numbers, averaging 20 points, 11.8 rebounds, and 2.9 assists per contest across 45 games.

He hasn’t been at his best with his shooting in the recent games, but he makes up for it with sensational work at the glass with rebounds galore. He recorded 22 and 20 rebounds in the last games against the Toronto Raptors and the Portland Trail Blazers, respectively.

Knicks Injury Report

Just like the Lakers, the New York Knicks also have most of their starters and players in rotation available for this contest. Only Miles McBride is out of contention for this home game with an ankle injury.

Luka Doncic & LeBron James stats vs the Knicks: A look at their past performances

Luka Doncic’s record against most teams in the NBA should be pretty good. But the Slovenian has a special affinity for the Knicks, as his stats against them are exceptional.

The star guard averages 30.5 points, 9.8 rebounds, and 8.9 assists per contest across 12 games against the Knicks throughout his career. He recorded 32 points, 12 assists, and seven rebounds in his last matchup with the Knicks last season.

Meanwhile, LeBron James also comes with fond memories of playing against the Knicks throughout his illustrious career. He has faced them 61 times, winning 44 of them, thereby exerting his dominance.

Overall, the 41-year-old has averaged 26.7 points, 7.4 assists, and 7.4 rebounds against the Knicks.

Lakers vs Knicks match preview and what to expect

The Knicks may head into this game on a strong winning streak, but they endured a rough stretch, losing 9 of 11 games from December 31 to January 19, including 6 double-digit losses.

This phase coincided with their owner, James Dolan, calling the franchise one of the season’s Championship contenders. However, they soon turned the tide in their favor and have now registered their second five-game winning streak of the season.

Their recent run of games has seen them defend with all their heart, produce some world-class rebounding, and an explosive offense led by Brunson. The Knicks are a top-10 defensive team this season, and it shows in their play.

Meanwhile, it has been a season of extremes for the Lakers, as they have shown promise on offense, with Doncic stringing together massive numbers consistently.

They are extremely vulnerable in defense. Hence, there’s a massive difference between their offensive and defensive ratings this season.

Everything suggests the Knicks are the favorites in this contest, as they are at home and have a great winning streak, but one must never write off the Lakers, especially given Doncic’s form.

Also, the Lakers hold a 6-4 record against the Knicks in their last 10 contests.

Lakers vs Knicks predicted starting lineups

Based on the NBA injury reports, here’s how both teams could lineup for the East-West showdown.