PREVIEW
MAVS (6-4) AT KNICKS (2-9)
Time: 7 p.m. CT
Place: Madison Square Garden, New York
TV: TNT
Radio: ESPN 103.3 FM; Univision 1270 AM (Spanish)
About the Mavs: This is the finale of a three-game road trip for the Mavs. The trip started with Saturday’s 138-122 win in Memphis and continued with Monday’s 116-106 loss in Boston that snapped the Mavs’ 4-0 start on the road . . . After Thursday’s game against the Knicks, the Mavs will return home for a four-game homestand, starting Saturday against the world champion Toronto Raptors and continuing against San Antonio on Monday, Golden State on Wednesday and Cleveland on Nov. 22. . .Point guard Luka Doncic has four triple-doubles this season and leads the Mavs with 28.3 ppg, 10.3 rpg and 9.1 apg. One of those triple-doubles came last Friday against the Knicks when Doncic collected a career-high 38 points, 14 rebounds and 10 assists when the teams met in Dallas. . .This will be the first game in New York for forward Kristaps Porzingis against his former team since the Knicks traded him to the Mavs on Jan. 31. Porzingis, who averages 18.3 ppg, 7.9 rpg and 2.4 bpg, fouled out with 28 points, nine rebounds and five blocks when the Knicks beat the Mavs last Friday in Dallas, 106-102.. . .Tim Hardaway Jr. (11.6 ppg) and Maxi Kleber (10.2 ppg, 6.6 rpg) represent a huge part of the Mavs’ deep roster. . .The Mavs are 41-36 all-time against the Knicks, including an 18-20 record during games played in New York. The road team has won the last five games in the Mavs-Knicks series.
About the Knicks: Not much has gone the Knicks’ way this season. But last Friday they were able to surprise and defeat the Mavs, 106-102. Marcus Morris Sr. (29 points, nine rebounds), Plano native Julius Randle (21 points, nine rebounds), Frank Ntilikina (14 points, six rebounds), Bobby Portis (14 points, 12 rebounds) and Taj Gibson (12 points, eight rebounds) led a balanced attack for the Knicks in that game. . .The Knicks’ only other win this season was a 105-98 home victory against the Chicago Bulls on Oct. 28. Portis contributed 28 points and 11 rebounds in that contest, Randle had 13 points, 14 rebounds and five assists, and rookie R. J. Barrett added 19 points, 15 rebounds and five assists. . . This will be the first time Dennis Smith Jr. will play against the Mavs since they shipped him to the Knicks in that Jan. 31 trade which involved Kristaps Porzingis. Smith, who was the No. 9 overall pick of the 2017 draft by the Mavs, has struggled since the trade. This year the third-year point guard is averaging only 0.8 ppg and 1.3 apg in just 10 mpg – he’s only played in four games — and is shooting a miserable 7.1 percent from the field. . .The Knicks have dropped their last two games – 108-87 at home to Cleveland this past Sunday and 120-102 in Chicago on Tuesday. . .This is the opener of a three-game homestand for the Knicks, who also play host to Charlotte on Saturday and Cleveland on Monday.
Twitter: @DwainPrice
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