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0 Luka Doncic put up an impressive performance in leading the Dallas Mavericks to a comfortable 122-108 victory over the New York Knicks on Thursday night. Doncic scored a game-high 39 points, dished out 11 assists and grabbed eight rebounds. Former Knicks guard Tim Hardaway Jr. contributed 19 points to the Mavericks’ victory, while Derrick Jones Jr. added 18 points.
The Knicks, who were already missing key starters Julius Randle, OG Anunoby, and Mitchell Robinson, were further depleted when All-Star Jalen Brunson was ruled out with a sprained right ankle. They had just seven players available in the second half due to injuries and trades. Despite the short-handedness, Donte DiVincenzo scored 36 points for the Knicks, while Josh Hart had a triple-double with 23 points, 12 assists, and 10 rebounds.
The Mavericks, who had made two trades earlier in the day to acquire big men P.J. Washington and Daniel Gafford, wrapped up a successful 3-0 road trip. However, neither Washington nor Gafford were available for this game due to league protocols. Rookie center Dereck Lively II was also out with a broken nose, leaving the Mavericks with a shortage of big men. But this didn’t seem to matter much as the Mavericks still managed to dominate the game.
Doncic’s performance was particularly impressive, with 27 of his 39 points coming in the second half. His behind-the-back pass to Dwight Powell early in the game was a standout moment. Coach Jason Kidd was delighted with Doncic’s performance and the prospect of having Washington and Gafford join the team. Both players were excited to play alongside the young superstar guard.
The Knicks had just eight available players after sending four players to the Detroit Pistons earlier in the day. Coach Tom Thibodeau said that despite the mistakes made by some of the seldom-used players, he was pleased with the team’s overall effort.
The Knicks will have to wait until after the All-Star break to see if key players like Robinson, Randle, and Anunoby can return. For now, they will have to manage with a depleted roster.
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