NBA: New York Knicks vs. Dallas Mavericks Preview, Odds, Prediction

The New York Knicks want to recover from a defeat on Christmas Day, and travel to Texas to square off with the Dallas Mavericks. Tom Thibodeau’s crew had high hopes from Sunday’s clash, yet they lost it and once again brought frustration to their fans. Meanwhile, the Mavs had the opposite experience, beating the Lakers and boosting the morale ahead of other challenges. Luka had his moment against LeBron, while Christian Wood reminded everyone that he could be lethal as hell.

Preview

New York Knicks (18-16, TBA) played well, having seven wins in a row before losing the most recent three events. It’s always like this when the Knicks are involved, oscillating and going up and down. To make the situation even worse, all three defeats were at home.

The first defeat was against the Toronto Raptors, 113-106, then against the Chicago Bulls, 118-117 and the most recent to the Sixers, 119-112. The Knicks had a double-digit lead yet managed to squander it. Thibodeau was very angry following the game, and he didn’t bother to hide his emotion.

Poor offensive performance in the final period, as NYK scored only 16 points, was decisive. Julius Randle had 35 buckets and eight boards, while Jalen Brunson added 23 and 11 assists. RJ Barrett scored 17 with 10 boards, yet was shooting only 6-for-21 from the field.

Meanwhile, the Dallas Mavericks (18-16, TBA) had a showdown with the Lakers, whom they defeated 124-115, after a fantastic third period in which they scored 51 and allowed 21 points. The Mavs trailed by 14 points at one moment, coming back after the break and wiping out the LAL.

The man of the game was Christian Wood, who had 30 points, eight boards, seven assists, four steals, and two blocks. He was the X-factor on which the Lakers didn’t count. Tim Hardaway dropped six threes and 26 buckets. By the way, the Mavs made 18 threes in 44 attempts.

As for Luka, he was short of a triple-double, recording nine boards and dimes each, with 32 buckets. We have to say that the Slovenian played rationally, not rushing into anything nor trying to force the situation. Doncic was clever, and that’s why he went to the foul line 16 times, hitting 12 shots.

Head to Head

The Mavs already beat the Knicks this year in New York early into December, 121-100. Luka had 30 points, eight boards, and seven assists, Hardaway Jr. 28, while Spencer Dinwiddie scored 17 but had nine boards and dimes. Randle was the leading scorer for the home team with 24 points, and Immanuel Quickley got off the bench to drop 23. Overall, the Mavs blew away the rivals who was in inferior position all the time.

Prediction

This should be a win for the hosts, who now have three triumphs in a row. The Knicks are on the downhill, with three subsequent defeats and with an obvious crisis in their game. Even though this team looks tough and formidable on both ends, in the crucial moments, they don’t have the game plan nor the solution on how to solve problems, particularly on the offensive side. That’s why we believe in Dallas’ win.

Pick: Dallas wins