Game Thread: New York Knicks @ Dallas Mavericks 7:00 1/7/2018 [Game #40]

rady

Administrator
Staff member

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(18-21) -- (13-27)

VenueTVTIME
American Airlines Center, Dallas, TXMSG7:00 PM EST


Probable starters:


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Injury Report

New York KnicksDallas Mavericks
Tim Hardaway Jr - Left foot injury (OUT)Seth Curry - Stress reaction, left tibia (OUT)
Michael Beasley - Sprained left ankle (QUEST)Dorian Finney-Smith - Left knee quadriceps tendinitis (OUT)
-Nerlens Noel - Left thumb surgery (OUT)
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Game Preview

Recent clashes between the Dallas Mavericks and New York Knicks have centered on the Dirk Nowitzki-Kristaps Porzingis matchup, and rightfully so. The two 7-footers represent opposite ends of the spectrum, at least in terms of career arc, in the development of the stretch-4 forward.

And while Nowitzki and Porzingis will still take center stage when the Mavs (13-27) and Knicks (18-21) hook up Sunday night at American Airlines Center, plenty of attention will fall on a pair of rookie point guards who figure to be forever tied.

Dennis Smith Jr. of the Mavericks and the Knicks' Frank Ntilikina were taken back-to-back in last summer's NBA Draft. Ntilikina was taken eighth, with Smith following right behind to Dallas.

A popular narrative is the Mavs bluffed their way to Smith while fawning all over the Belgium-born and French-raised Ntilikina, always with the intention of taking of taking the North Carolina State product.

Dallas owner Mark Cuban has denied that the Ntilikina interest was a ruse designed to get the best of the Knicks and former president (and longtime Cuban rival) Phil Jackson.

"Not a stunt at all," Cuban told the New York Daily News by email. "We like Frank quite a bit. If Dennis had been selected there was a very good chance we would have taken Frank."

But the debate hardly ends there. LeBron James jumped in early this season by taking a shot at New York for not taking Smith, who has quickly established himself as the one most likely to take the franchise player baton from Nowitzki.

Smith is starting, already has a triple-double under his belt and is averaging 13.9 points and 4.5 assists.

The defensive-minded Ntilikina is averaging a modest 5.8 points and 3.4 assists. But the 6-foot-5 reserve has turned heads with his solid skill set, and recently earned praise from San Antonio Spurs coach Gregg Popovich.

The Mavs are coming off a 127-124 home loss to Chicago. Dallas has lost two straight following a four-game winning streak, giving up at least 125 in each setback.

Dallas coach Rick Carlisle has seen some bad habits develop.

"I mean, trading shots," he said. "Trying to outscore the other team and putting a very heavy emphasis on the offensive end and not enough on the defensive end. I don't think anyone would argue with me that allowing (Chicago) to shoot 60-something percent in the first quarter and 56.4 percent for the game is making a reasonable effort to make defense a priority."

The Knicks have dropped seven of their last eight, including Friday's 107-103 overtime loss at Miami to drop out of the playoff position in the Eastern Conference.

Courtney Lee scored a team-high 24, Michael Beasley came off the bench to score 20 points and grab 10 rebounds, and Porzingis finished with 15 points.

New York is looking to snap a three-game road losing streak at Dallas.

The Mavs are retiring the number of longtime fan favorite Derek Harper on Sunday. Harper, currently a television analyst for the team, also played for the Knicks.

(ESPN/STATS)
 
Thanks again, Rady.

Cool about Derek Harper getting his number retired with us in town.

Every game is another chance to right the ship. Let?s go Knicks!
 

Kiyaman

Legend
Nice Game Thread Rady ....
For those who believe the Mavs receive the better pick in the 2017 draft ( Ntilikina's vs D.Smith jr.) need to look close at the Knicks record (18-21) compared to the Mavs record (13-27).
The Dallas Mavs organozation has a better owner / head coach / and franchise player making the Mavs 3 steps above the Knicks organization.
Don't believe the Lebron HYPE ....
The Mavs coach Rick Carlisle wish he had rookie Ntilikina's length n high IQ defensive prowness on the court at the point to get stops in the final quarter to win more than 13 games out of 40 games this season.
The Knicks preseason games showed a NO DEFENSE perfomance from the Knicks as a team .. the first 3 games of the regular season the Knicks were 0-3 playing no defense.
Those Knicks games had no defense because rookie Ntilikina's we're DNP.
The Knicks 4th game of the season the Knicks won having a strong defensive effort from rookie Frank Nitty (Ntilikina's) in the 2nd half of the game.
Rookie Ntilikina's all around defensive skills won the game .. we only needed Knick teammates to follow suit of rookie Ntilikina's defensive effort during the final 12 minutes of the game for the win.
We had that same 12 minute defensive effort from PG Jason Kidd in the 4th quarter when we won 54 games in a season.

Head coach Hornacek has not given one of the league's top defensive C/F Noah any playing time this season .. WHY?
When the top team in the eastern conference Boston Celtricks took their all around 6.10 veteran center Horford n put him as Boston starting PF plus took their 6.11 bigbody defensive Baynes n made him Boston starting center to go on to have an outstanding 33-10 winning record.
While our coach Horn use small lineups having a unskilled weak 7.3 KP at the center spot n weak SF Mcderm or Lance at the PF spot n wonder why we lose on the road.
Coach Horn could have had Noah n Quinn tandem in lineups for the past 20 games as Kanter n KP backups to stay above .500 record.
How poor will coach Horn coach today vs a poor winning Mavs team ???
 

tiger0330

Legend
DSJ vs. Ntilikina the game within the game fans are looking to see. Might not see the 2 matched up on the floor very much. DSJ starts and finishes but Carlisle throws in Barea, Harris and Farrell in between so I would expect Frank will see more time on the floor against those 3 than against DSJ.

DSJ was sensational in crunch time against the Bulls scoring 10 of his 15 pts when he was reinserted with about 6 mins left to close that game. Hopefully we see the 2 matched up in the final minutes of a close game and Frank shuts DSJ down and makes a couple of critical buckets to get the Knicks win.
 
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DSJ vs. Ntilikina the game within the game fans are looking to see. Might not see the 2 matched up on the floor very much. DSJ starts and finishes but Carlisle throws in Barea, Harris and Farrell in between so I would expect Frank will see more time on the floor against those 3 than against DSJ.

DSJ was sensational in crunch time against the Bulls scoring 10 of his 15 pts when he was reinserted with about 6 mins left to close that game. Hopefully we see the 2 matched up in the final minutes of a close game and Frank shuts DSJ down and makes a couple of critical buckets to get the Knicks win.

Yeah, I think you hit the nail on the head. I also expect to see a lot of DSJ vs Jack and Ntilikina vs Barea, etc. If DSJ lights up Jack and Hornacek doesn?t go quickly to Ntilikina?s defense, I?m going to be beside myself.
 
Jack with the circus shot and draws the foul from DSJ for the 3 point play. Jack?s contract is now apparently guarenteed.
 
Jack drains the jumper over Dirk. We lead 10 - 3 a little over 4 minutes into the game. Could be a bigger lead, but we?ve made a couple sloppy turnovers so far.
 
I get that Jack has been a feel good story this year, but we?ve lost 7 out of our last 8. No part of our team should be discussed as an unequivocal success right now.
 
Ntilikina checks into the game with 3 minutes to go in the 1st quarter and the Knicks with a 7 point lead. DSJ long ago checked out.
 
Our defense was nothing special, but Dallas? defense was non-existent. We lead 33 - 25 going into the 2nd quarter.
 
DSJ checks back into the game and we are getting a little Ntilikina on DSJ here in the 2nd quarter with 8 minutes to go.
 
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