Marcus Morris, Kristaps Porzingis
(AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)

Marcus Morris and the New York Knicks win a thriller, 106-103, over Kristaps Porzingis and the Dallas Mavericks at MSG.

  • New York Knicks 106 (3-9)
  • Dallas Mavericks 103 (6-5)
  • NBA, Final, Box Score
  • Madison Square Garden, New York, NY

On a Thursday night in Manhattan, at the Mecca, the faithful were out in full force.

“KP sucks, KP sucks, KP sucks.” It continued from pregame introductions until after the final buzzer. Kristaps Porzingis’s return to Madison Square Garden yielded the same result the two teams played to earlier in the season in Texas.

The New York Knicks won, defeating the Dallas Mavericks, 106-103.

A Marcus Morris three-point dagger put the squad up for good with 13.4 seconds to go in regulation.

Morris finished with a team-high 20 points on 7-of-19 from the floor.

The homecoming boy, Porzingis, got off to a rough start in this one. Smug smiles masked his emotions early and it led to no field goals in the first quarter. He eventually found his way to 20 points on 7-of-17 from the floor, but didn’t do much damage (save for a put-back dunk to end the third quarter).

The Knicks showcased more energy from the jump in this one. Two guys who helped tremendously were Dennis Smith Jr. and Mitchell Robinson, both of whom came off the bench.

Remember, Smith Jr. was also playing his former team in this one (along with Tim Hardaway Jr.). Finishing with 13 points and eight assists, DSJ sparked David Fizdale’s team at the right time.

Robinson, who did foul out in the fourth, contributed with 16 points and eight boards. Julius Randle also showed up on this night, tallying 17 points on 8-of-18 from the floor, including a key bucket late that featured a flopping Porzingis.

The game was a hotly-contested one all night. New York led for the most of the game, but the Mavs would never go away. Point guard Luka Doncic was undoubtedly the star of the contest (33 points, 10 rebounds, 11 assists).

The 3-9 Knicks will return to the Garden on Saturday when the Charlotte Hornets visit for a 7:30 p.m. ET tip-off.

 
Robby Sabo is a co-founder, CEO and credentialed New York Jets content creator for Jets X-Factor - Jet X, which includes Sabo's Sessions (in-depth film breakdowns) and Sabo with the Jets. Host: Underdog Jets Podcast with Wayne Chrebet and Sabo Radio. Member: Pro Football Writers of America. Coach: Port Jervis (NY) High School. Washed up strong safety and 400M runner. SEO: XL Media. Founder: Elite Sports NY - ESNY (Sold in 2020). SEO: XL Media. Email: robby.sabo[at]jetsxfactor.com