Mavericks Neutralize Knicks in Blowout Victory
DALLAS - Next man up is the Dallas Mavericks' mantra for the 2024-25 season. In light of the plethora of players on the injury report, including Luka Doncic, Mavericks head coach Jason Kidd's rotation received a myriad of changeups on a moment's notice. Despite the injuries, the Mavericks destroyed the traveling New York Knicks 129-114.
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New York and Dallas share a sluggish start to the 2024-25 season, as both teams hover above .500 basketball. Despite their placement in the Western Conferences, the Mavericks proved they are better than their record indicates. Without Doncic and Klay Thompson, the Mavericks extended their win streak to five games against the Jalen Brunson-led team.
Dallas decimated New York's second-ranked offense, regarding the offensive rating metric, by forcing 26 percent from the field and a putrid 12 percent from 3 in the first half, rendering the contest insurmountable for the visiting team.
The Mavericks saw blood in the water and never stopped attacking. Even with a third-quarter push from the Knicks, the game's momentum refused to shift. New York's free-throw discrepancy was the only stat of which Dallas trailed on offense.
Parity reigned supreme in the Mavericks rotation, as six players reached the double-digit mark. Naji Marshall led with 24 points, scorching the Knicks' defense with a 10-17 mark from the field.
Brunson led the Knicks with 37 points on 14-21 shooting from the field and 0-3 from distance. Despite the terrible outside shooting, Brunson's inside attack earned him a 7-8 mark from the charity stripe.
Following the dominant performance at the American Airlines Center, the Mavericks improved to 4-1 without Doncic for the 2024-25 season.
The Mavericks play at the Utah Jazz on Saturday.
