The New York Knicks are rolling on their current homestand, but their next challenge comes in the form of the Los Angeles Lakers and a player who has tormented them for decades—LeBron James. As the two big-market franchises collide for the first time this season on Saturday night at Madison Square Garden, the Knicks will look to extend their winning streak while the Lakers aim to keep their momentum going. For years, the Knicks searched for a franchise-altering superstar, often dreaming of landing LeBron James. Instead, they found their leader in Jalen Brunson, who has continued to prove he is the face of the franchise. Brunson’s latest masterpiece came in Wednesday’s 122-112 victory over the Denver Nuggets, where he exploded

The Oklahoma City Thunder return home on Saturday night, looking to bounce back from a rare loss when they take on the Sacramento Kings. While Oklahoma City remains atop the Western Conference, their recent inconsistency has frustrated star guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. Meanwhile, the Kings are navigating trade rumors surrounding their best player as they try to regain their own momentum. Oklahoma City (35-14) has been one of the most consistent teams in the NBA this season, but their 110-97 loss to the Golden State Warriors on Wednesday marked their third defeat in their last six games. The Thunder’s struggles have largely come against elite competition, with five of their nine total losses this season coming against either the Warriors or

The Utah Hockey Club is desperate to find a way to close out games as they host the Columbus Blue Jackets on Friday night in Salt Lake City. While Utah has struggled in tight contests, Columbus has been on the rise, winning back-to-back overtime games and climbing into the second wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference. Utah (22-25-6) has had trouble sealing victories lately, losing three straight games where they either held a lead or were tied in the third period. Their latest disappointment came in a 3-2 overtime loss to the Pittsburgh Penguins on Wednesday, where they led 2-1 entering the final frame before allowing the tying goal early in the period and the game-winner in overtime. With the

The Nashville Predators and Buffalo Sabres have struggled to string together consistent success this season, and both will be looking to gain some much-needed momentum when they meet Friday night in Buffalo. With both teams sitting near the bottom of their respective conferences, every point matters as they try to claw their way back into the playoff picture. Buffalo (20-24-3) has found wins hard to come by, but a dominant 7-2 victory over the Boston Bruins on Tuesday showed what the team is capable of when firing on all cylinders. The Sabres matched their season high in goals after scoring just twice in four of their previous seven games. Head coach Lindy Ruff has emphasized unity despite the team’s struggles.