Mavs Lose To Knicks
{fshare id=4696}
DALLAS — The New York Knicks left Texas in better shape than most teams do after beating the Dallas Mavericks 92-80 Sunday night at American Airlines Center.
Not only did the Knicks (11-22) split their four-game road trip, but they went 2-1 against the Lone Star State trio of the San Antonio Spurs, Houston Rockets and Dallas.
If not for a couple of questionable decisions late against the Rockets, New York could have swept the vaunted Texas Triangle. Still, considering how the season was going, the Knicks will take two out of three.
New York forward Carmelo Anthony scored a game-high 19 points, 15 coming in the first quarter, and grabbed seven rebounds. Forward Andrea Bargnani added 13 points, and guard Beno Udrih dished out eight assists.
The Knicks got an unexpected boost from forward Kenyon Martin, who scored a season-high 14 off the bench despite being a game-time decision due to a sprained ankle. Martin filled in admirably for center Tyson Chandler, who left the game early with an upper-respiratory infection.
The Mavericks (19-15) dropped their fourth consecutive home
game. Dallas is 4-6 on its court after starting the season 7-0.
Forward Dirk Nowitzki scored a team-high 18 points for the Mavericks. Guards Monta Ellis and Vince Carter added 13 points apiece.
The Mavericks, down as many as 19 in the third, pulled within 62-54 on Ellis’ 3-pointer in the last minute of the quarter. New York went into the fourth up 67-57.
Dallas cut the deficit to 78-72 early in the final period before the Knicks responded with a 7-0 run. The Mavericks made another push late, but it was too little, too late.
Dallas will try to salvage a win in the finale of its three-game homestand Tuesday against the Los Angeles Lakers. The Knicks return home Tuesday to face Detroit.
Anthony led the Knicks on a 14-3 run in the first quarter, putting New York up 20-13 and forcing a timeout out of Dallas. The stoppage didn’t help the Mavericks, as New York took a 12-point lead into the second.
Guard J.R. Smith drilled a 3-pointer to give New York a 39-24 lead. Bargnani followed from deep shortly after for a 44-28 edge.
New York settled in for a 52-35 advantage at halftime behind 15 points from Anthony and 11 from Bargnani.
