Knicks Win At The AAC In Dallas Again, Blowing Out The Mavericks
DALLAS (CBSDFW.COM/AP) — Dallas-native Julius Randle came home with the New York Knicks and scored 26 points to help the team win for the fifth consecutive time at the AAC, blowing out the Mavericks 107-77 on Wednesday night.
RJ Barrett added 18 points for the Knicks, who won their third straight following a seven-game losing streak and improved to 3-2 on a season-long seven-game road trip.
The Mavericks missed their first 19 3-point shots while falling behind by 28 in their lowest-scoring first half of the season. Dallas trailed 61-34 at the break as a five-game winning streak ended.
Luka Doncic scored 17 of his 31 points in the third quarter, when the Mavericks got within 14 before consecutive buckets from Randle steadied the Knicks.
"I love the way our guys are coming out and the intensity that we're playing with and the togetherness on both sides of the ball," New York coach Tom Thibodeau said. "The challenge doesn't stop. We can't feel too good about ourselves."
New York, which is chasing the final play-in spot in the Eastern Conference, swept the two-game season series from the playoff-bound Mavericks, winning by an average of 26.5 points.
The Mavericks shot a season-worst 13.6% from long range (6 of 44) and 31.4% overall. Reggie Bullock was 0 of 8 and went scoreless, while Jalen Brunson, Davis Bertans and Maxi Kleber combined to miss 14 more without a make.
"It was probably our best defensive performance of the year," Randle said.
Doncic was the only Dallas starter in double figures as the Mavericks finished with a season-low 11 assists.
"We might have overdribbled a little bit, but we had great looks," coach Jason Kidd said. "Sometimes you're going to lose a game. Tonight was the night. We had a great homestand. You can't let one game ruin that, and we're not. It's over."
All five New York starters were in double figures, with double-doubles from Alec Burks (15 points and 11 rebounds) and Mitchell Robinson (11 and 11). Evan Fournier scored 10 points.
Randle rallied from a poor start shooting to finish 8 of 19 with eight rebounds and five assists. The Dallas native scored 44 points at the Mavericks last season and was coming off a career-best 46 points in a 131-115 win at Sacramento.
"It's automatic, man, playing in front of my mom and obviously my wife and sons were here," Randle said. "I always want to give them a good show."
(© Copyright 2022 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)
