Dallas Mavericks vs New York Knicks: Match Preview and Predictions - 14th November 2019
Match details
Fixture: Dallas Mavericks vs New York Knicks
Date & Time: Thursday, 14 November 2019, 8:00 PM ET
Venue: Madison Square Garden, New York City, NY
Last game result
Dallas Mavericks: 106-116 loss to the Boston Celtics (11 November, Monday)
New York Knicks: 102-120 loss to the Chicago Bulls (12 November, Tuesday)
Dallas Mavericks preview
Currently holding a 6-4 record and occupying the 6th seed in the Western Conference, things have fallen to plan for the Dallas Mavericks. Having missed out on a postseason berth last season, the Mavs were expected to challenge for one of the playoff seeds at the very least and they are most definitely on track to reach that goal.
2019 Rookie of the Year Luka Doncic has picked up right where he left off last season and has continued to be an absolute mammoth on offense. Kristaps Porzingis is also slowly coming into his own following his lengthy ACL rehab and the duo could easily become the best pairing in the NBA in a couple of years. However, Dallas' over-reliance on the two also shouldn't be ignored and could be cause for trouble down the stretch.
Key player - Luka Doncic
There's no case of a sophomore slump as far as Luka Doncic is concerned. For what it's worth, he has simply exploded in the first few weeks of the season. Averaging 28.3 points (on 48.5% accuracy from the field), 9.1 assists, and 10.3 rebounds, the Slovenian is already putting up MVP numbers. With Porzingis still not back to his best, Doncic has had to take over games at times and more often than not, he has been up to the task.
Mavs predicted lineup:
Luka Doncic, Seth Curry, Dorian Finney-Smith, Kristaps Porzingis, Maxi Kleber
New York Knicks preview
What was supposed to be a renaissance year for the New York Knicks has continued to be the abhorrent mess of affairs that the franchise has come to be known for in recent years. Knicks GM Scott Perry couldn't convince any superstar free agent to sign with the franchise in the offseason and ended up expending their massive cap space on numerous role players, none of whom have managed to impress with the exception of Marcus Morris.
Much to the chagrin of their fans, the Knicks are staring down the barrel once again as they find themselves holding the worst record in the association. The front office has also expressed their disappointment with the 2-9 start to the season and it's imminent that head coach David Fizdale's job is on the line.
Key player - R.J. Barrett
The only silver lining of this season so far has been the form of rookie and franchise piece R.J. Barrett. The forward from Duke is averaging 16 points, 5.8 rebounds, and 4.1 assists per game and looks set to be a star a few years down the line. However, you simply cannot ignore his paltry 44.5% accuracy from the charity stripe that he most certainly needs to work upon.
Knicks predicted lineup:
Frank Ntilikina, R.J. Barrett, Marcus Morris Sr, Julius Randle, Taj Gibson
Mavericks vs Knicks match prediction
The Knicks are in sixes and sevens at the moment with the future of their head coach David Fizdale in doubt. They are coming into this fixture on the back of consecutive blowout losses and simply lack chemistry on either end of the court.
The Mavs also lost their last game in the league but that was against a red-hot Celtics. One can allude their 6-4 record to a favorable schedule but you must note that even against credible opponents, Rick Carlisle's men have held their own and not been blown out in a single game this season.
In any case, Luka Doncic is in the form of his life and Dallas will not have problems offensively. Kristaps Porzingis will also be looking for some revenge when he'll come up against the team that drafted him and traded him last season to clear some cap space.
On paper, all things point towards a win for the Dallas Mavericks. However, do note that the last time these two teams met, it was the Knicks who came out on top. So by no means will this be an easy victory for the Mavs. Expect the game to be a tightly contested affair, but the Western Conference outfit is still likely to come out on top.
Where to watch Mavericks vs Knicks
The return of Kristaps Porzingis to MSG is a huge deal which means that this game is indeed getting national coverage. The game will be telecasted on TNT. You can also live stream the match via NBA League Pass.