Some players with deep roots in Dallas will be back in town Thursday night, but unfortunately the Mavericks won’t have a single key player waiting for them.
Luka Doncic has been ruled out of the New York Knicks’ visit at American Airlines Center due to a right ankle sprain.
This will make matters more difficult for the Mavericks as the red-hot Knicks, led by Jalen Brunson and Julius Randle, will be looking for their sixth consecutive win.
When players return to their home region or to a team with which they have played for a long time, they may be motivated to play far above their normal means.
Or they may be overwhelmed by family and friends and not focus as much on what happens on the court.
For Randall, it’s exactly the same case as the first scenario. They have crushed the Mavericks in games at the American Airlines Center and they will be right here on Thursday night (7:30 p.m.) when the New York Knicks come to Dallas for their only visit in 2023-24.
Randle averaged 20.9 points and 10.5 rebounds against the Mavericks, one of only two Western Conference teams (Minnesota) against whom he averaged 20 points and 10 rebounds.
And then there’s Jalen Brunson, who will undoubtedly have no shortage of motivation. He left the Mavericks in free agency ahead of the 2022–23 season and prospered with the Knicks and developed into a star player, averaging 25.6 points and 6.4 assists per game.
He didn’t play last December when the Knicks were in the AAC due to injury, so there’s no context as to how he’ll handle his return to Dallas.
Then again, homecoming means nothing when the local favorite does what Doncic did against the Knicks last season. There were 20,000 people at the AAC that night, but it was probably a few hundred-thousand more than he claims.
That’s when Doncic dropped 60 points, 21 rebounds and 10 assists – a stat line that has never been repeated before or since – as the Mavericks beat the Knicks 126–121 in overtime.
The Mavericks trailed 112–103 with 33.9 seconds remaining, but dominated the Knicks 12–3 the rest of the way to force overtime. According to ESPN, NBA teams were 0-13,884 over the past 20 seasons when trailing by at least nine points with 35 seconds or less remaining.
Unfortunately, Luka won’t be able to get it going again against the Knicks and try to repeat his miracle performance from a year ago as it was announced he would be out.
- Randle, a former Kentucky Wildcat out of Plano’s Prestonwood Christian after being born and raised in Dallas, is averaging 24.2 points, 9.3 rebounds and 4.8 assists this season. Neither he nor any of the other Knicks had to exert themselves much in Tuesday’s blowout win over Portland.
- The Knicks have won five in a row, which coincides with the trade that acquired them OG Anunoby for Immanuel Quickley and RJ Barrett. Anunoby scored 23 points in 29 minutes against the Blazers.
- There’s something to see here: The road team has won nine of the last 12 meetings, although the Mavericks won both games last season.
- In addition to Luka’s injury, the Mavericks will be without Dante Exum (right plantar sprain). Questionable are upgraded centers Derek Lively II and Maxi Kleber (right little toe). Grant Williams (right ankle) is questionable.
New York Knicks (22-15) and Mavericks (22-16)
- When/Where: Thursday 7:30 p.m., American Airlines Center, Dallas.
- TV: Bally’s Sports Southwest.
- Radio: 97.1 FM The Freak; 99.1 FM Zona MX (Spanish).
X: @ESefko
