Two teams with nothing to lose came into the STAPLES Center to face off in a meaningless battle, with the New York Knicks thumping the Los Angeles Lakers, 101-94, led by Tim Hardaway Jr.

Both the Lakers and Knicks are on pace to record the worst percentage in their franchise history. In addition, the Knicks came in with a five-game losing streak but were able to snap it and sweep the Lakers 2-0 in the season series.

The Lakers had a respectable three-point lead to the end the first quarter as Tarik Black was the catalyst, bringing a lot of energy with his hustle and second chance points. However, right after the first quarter momentum shifted in favor of the Knicks as they jolted out to a 9-2 run in the second period led by a barrage of threes from Hardaway Jr.

Tim Hardaway Jr. put in 12 of his game-high 22 points in the second quarter, all coming from beyond the arc. He helped the Knicks attain a six-point halftime lead, and New York controlled the game from there on.

The Knicks ballooned their lead to 12 in the third quarter, and then to 14 later in the fourth quarter. The Lakers attempted a late game rally, but it was far too little and far too late. The Knicks went on to close the game and earned their 13th victory of the season.

New York still owns the worst record in the NBA, one game behind the Philadelphia 76ers. They showed a lot of fight in this game and punched the Lakers hard with their terrific three-point shooting. The Knicks hit nine out of 18 from three-point distance which is a 50 percent clip. The Lakers had only one three-pointer by halftime but finished the game with a total of five on 27.8 percent shooting.

The Lakers also left plenty of points on the line, shooting 61.9 percent on 13 of 21 from the charity stripe. They also turned the ball over 14 times after being cleaner in the first half. The Knicks only had eight turnovers.

Los Angeles, however, dominated the boards, outrebounding New York, 51-33, including a 15-4 edge on offensive rebounds. Though, the Knicks were more efficient, assisting 27 times on 36 made baskets and shooting 46.8 percent from the field.

Jordan Hill put in 19 points and 10 rebounds on 8 of 14 shooting to lead the Lakers, while Jeremy Lin came off the bench to add 14 points and seven assists. Jordan Clarkson had a quiet game, scoring just 11 points on 4 of 12 shooting. Wayne Ellington and Carlos Boozer also chipped in with 11 apiece.

Aside from Hardaway Jr., the Knicks received remarkable production from Alexey Shved, who posted yet another double-double with 14 points and a new career-high 11 rebounds to go along with six assists. Andrea Bargnani, who has been healthy and playing much better since the All-Star break, poured in 16 points.

The Lakers dropped to 17-47 with the loss which, at this point in the season, it does not matter since they are officially eliminated from the playoffs. Despite that fact, Coach Byron Scott was very disappointed in his team, as he should be since he is after all the coach.

“This got away before the game even started, our mindset was nowhere near where it should have been,” Scott said. “We came out so soft, lack of focus. Our lack of focus was unbelievable.

“I have no place for guys that are selfish,” Scott added.

Newcomer Jabari Brown probably played with the most effort and focus tonight. He put in seven points on 3 of 6 shooting in 18 minutes. His activity on both ends of the floor was great, as the D-League standout was trying to prove himself worthy of a roster spot. The Lakers signed Brown, who was also with them during training camp, to a 10-day deal under the hardship exception a few days ago.

The Knicks will continue their West coast trip in Golden State on March 14th, while the Lakers get a couple days off before hosting the East-leading Atlanta Hawks on Sunday, March 15th.