Kyrie Irving drops season-high as Luka-less Mavs escape

Kyrie Irving scored a season-high 44 points and Tim Hardaway Jr. tied his season high with 32 as the Dallas Mavericks withstood a fourth-quarter rally to beat the visiting New York Knicks, 128-124, on Thursday, January 11 (Friday, January 12, Manila time).

New York rallied from a 21-point third-quarter deficit and pulled within 121-120 with 1:08 remaining in the game after Donte DiVincenzo’s three-pointer capped a 27-8 run. After Josh Green hit a triple on Dallas’ next possession, the Mavericks sealed the win at the free-throw line.

The Mavericks played without star Luka Doncic, who sat out with a right ankle sprain.

Green matched his season high with 18 points and Grant Williams scored 11 for Dallas, which won for the fourth time in its last five games. 

Julius Randle scored 32 points for New York, which had its five-game winning streak come to an end. 

Jalen Brunson scored 30 points against his former team, DiVincenzo added 19 points, and OG Anunoby had 10. Isaiah Hartenstein recorded a game-high 15 rebounds.

Dallas claimed a 44-26 lead after shooting 69.6% from the floor and 8-of-10 from three-point range.

The Knicks finished 14-of-42 (33.3%) from three-point range and lost for the first time since acquiring Anunoby from the Toronto Raptors in a trade on December 30.

Dallas connected on 50% of its shots from the floor and was 17-of-41 (41.5%) from three-point range.

New York pulled within 10 points late in the second quarter before Dallas took a 74-54 lead into the half after closing on a 17-8 run. Irving and Hardaway scored 18 apiece in the half.

The Knicks mounted another charge in the third quarter and Randle hit consecutive three-pointers during a 10-2 run to cut the deficit to 90-84. Dallas responded and held a 101-86 advantage at the end of the period.

Randle had 19 points in the third quarter to keep the Knicks within striking distance. Irving had 20 points in the period, including three triples. – Rappler.com