In an electrifying performance, Kyrie Irving led the Dallas Mavericks to a narrow 128-124 victory over the New York Knicks with an impressive 44 points during Thursday night’s NBA action. The Mavericks, missing key players including superstar Luka Doncic, managed to hold off a strong comeback from the Knicks in Thursday night’s game.
Irving’s remarkable 20 points in the third quarter set the tone for the Mavericks, who held a comfortable 115-96 lead with just over seven minutes left in the game. However, the Knicks, fueled by Donte DiVincenzo’s 3-pointer, closed the gap to 121-120 with a little over a minute remaining. Josh Green’s crucial 3-pointer, following three offensive rebounds by Dallas, extended their lead to 124-120. Irving and Tim Hardaway Jr., who added 32 points, then clinched the game with four free throws in the final seconds.
Mavericks coach Jason Kidd praised the team’s effort, particularly highlighting the significant offensive rebounds and Green’s decisive 3-pointer.
“To come up with the three offensive rebounds at that point was huge,” Kidd said. “And then for Josh to get another shot at it. There was no hesitation when the ball found him.”
Julius Randle, hailing from Dallas, led the Knicks with 32 points, while Jalen Brunson, in his first game in Dallas since his departure, scored 30 points. Despite DiVincenzo’s 19 points, the Knicks faced their first loss in six games since acquiring OG Anunoby from Toronto.
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Anunoby contributed 10 points, with eight in the fourth quarter, as Randle equaled Willis Reed’s record for 30-point games in Knicks history.
The Mavericks’ strong 3-point shooting, with Irving and Hardaway combining for 12 of 23 from beyond the arc, was a key factor in their win. Irving also led with 10 assists.
The Knicks, coming off a significant defensive victory against Portland, struggled early on, conceding 44 points in the first quarter and trailing by 20 points at one stage.
NBA NEWS & SCORES: Kyrie Irving, Dallas Mavericks, Jalen Brunson, New York Knicks Updates
Randle acknowledged the Knicks’ lack of preparation and difficulty in securing rebounds, echoing similar issues from their previous visit to Dallas in December 2022.
“We didn’t do ourselves any favors to start the game,” Randle said. “We’ve got to come more prepared, ready to play. We thought we had a final breakthrough in the fourth, but we couldn’t get a rebound.
“Last two times we’ve been here, I feel like we lost games because we couldn’t get rebounds at the end.”
Doncic’s absence, along with center Dereck Lively II and guard Dante Exum, posed additional challenges for the Mavericks. Anunoby, who had a high-scoring game against Portland, struggled in the first half, while Brunson received a technical foul just before halftime.
NBA NEWS & SCORES: Kyrie Irving, Dallas Mavericks, Jalen Brunson, New York Knicks Updates
Looking ahead, the Knicks will face the Memphis Grizzlies on Saturday, while the Mavericks are set for the first of two back-to-back games against the New Orleans Pelicans.
