Jealousy is never pretty. Even so, one cannot help but wonder if Luka Doncic and the Los Angeles Lakers are watching the NBA Finals and marveling at what the New York Knicks have created. If three more wins come for the Knicks, the Lakers might just have to copy their homework.
New York stole Game 1 on the road in the first matchup of the best of seven against the San Antonio Spurs. A competitive game all evening eventually ended with the Knicks clawing out a tough 105-95 win over the Spurs on Wednesday night.
Doncic's old teammate, Jalen Brunson, had a strong outing in the win, finishing with 30 points. That might get the headlines, but Brunson's supporting cast deserves just as much credit as he does.
The Knicks did a great job in the daunting challenge of slowing down Victor Wembanyama. The likes of OG Anunoby, Mikal Bridges, Josh Hart, and even Karl-Anthony Towns all provided strong two-way play. It is tough not to want that same type of model around Doncic. Should New York rip off three more wins, it would not surprise anyone if the Lakers took their best crack at stealing the formula.
Knicks continue proving the value of a tailor-made roster to the Lakers
Brunson shares a lot of similarities with Doncic when it comes to his strengths and weaknesses. Luka is undeniably the better of the two, and anyone who would disagree is probably a Knicks fan, but one has been positioned for success far better than the other.
If the Knicks do win the 2026 NBA championship, it will be a testament to the work Leon Rose and the front office have done to build around their undersized guard. Becky Hammon would be left in shambles as the rest of the league searches for what they can copy from New York's team.
For the Lakers, that would come in the form of understanding how much Anunoby, Bridges, and Hart do for Brunson. The Knicks continue to boast the best defensive rating (102.9) in the NBA Playoffs, and that certainly would not be possible without those three individuals.
Unfortunately for the Lakers, it is easier said than done to replicate those exact players. They are all some of the very best in the business when it comes to their job description.
Even with that in mind, there is still work that can be done to find lengthy, strong, and high-effort athletes that allow the Lakers to be balanced on both ends. The Knicks know the offense will come when it needs to through Brunson. Doncic will never leave his team lacking in that department either.
Get the guys who can do make up for your superstar's limitations. It is a simple message, and far from a groundbreaking thought. However, the idea is still worth repeating over and over until the job is actually done.
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