James scored 26 points, 11 assists, and eight rebounds, leading the Lakers to their fourth consecutive road victory against the Warriors. James (41), whose future after 23 years in the league remains uncertain, shot 11 of 17 from the field, including three three-pointers. Basketball fans were deprived of a duel between longtime rivals, as Stephen Curry missed this game. After returning to the court following 27 missed games due to a right knee injury, the Warriors did not want to risk Curry playing two nights in a row. Brandin Podziemski and Nate Williams led the hosts with 17 points each, while Charles Bassey recorded 12 points and 13 rebounds. On the other side, James received excellent support from Deandre Ayton with 21 points and five rebounds, and Jake LaRavia with 16 points, helping the Lakers snap a three-game losing streak. In the second most exciting game of the night, the New York Knicks defeated the Boston Celtics 112–106, keeping them in the race for second place in the Eastern Conference. The brilliant Josh Hart scored 15 of his total 26 points in the final stretch, including two crucial three-pointers in the last 42 seconds of the game. Jalen Brunson added 25 points and 10 assists. With this win, the Knicks (52–28) closed the gap on the Celtics (54–26) to just two games, with both teams having two more games left in the regular season. The game also marked the return of Jayson Tatum to Madison Square Garden, the court where he suffered a severe Achilles tendon injury during last year’s playoffs. Tatum finished the game with 24 points, 13 rebounds, and eight assists. However, Boston was missing their top scorer, Jaylen Brown, who was sidelined due to Achilles tendon inflammation. Payton Pritchard (23 points) and Baylor Scheierman (20 points, 6/7 from three) delivered strong performances, but it wasn’t enough to prevent Boston’s four-game winning streak from ending. Bosnian basketball player Luka Garza did not get playing time for Boston. Toronto Raptors - Miami Heat 128:114 Washington Wizards - Chicago Bulls 108:119 Brooklyn Nets - Indiana Pacers 94:123 New York Knicks - Boston Celtics 112:106 Houston Rockets - Philadelphia 76ers 113:102 Golden State Warriors - Los Angeles Lakers 103:119 Eastern Conference Standings: Western Conference Standings: