The Dallas Mavericks aim for another win without Luka Doncic Wednesday night when they host the New York Knicks.
Doncic has missed the last three games with a sprained wrist and is expected to be reevaluated later this week. The Mavericks, ninth overall in the Western Conference, have won five of their last six, and are 2-1 since Doncic was hurt.
“We’ve got a lot of competitors in this locker room, guys that want to win and put their body on the line,” Mavericks star guard Kyrie Irving said. “We’re not sure who is going to be healthy day-in, day-out, but those who suit up are going to be ready to play.”
Irving had 32 points in the Mavericks’ win over Atlanta Monday night, when Dallas was also without Quentin Grimes and Klay Thompson. The Mavericks also got a huge lift from 7-footer Daniel Gafford, who had 10 points and is averaging a career-high 12.3 points a night.
Gafford, 26, has spent time with the Bulls and Wizards before being acquired by the Mavericks at the trade deadline last year. He leads the NBA in field goal percentage at 72 percent.
“I’m just getting better as the days go by,” Gafford said. “It’s about having patience and trying to expand my offensive game to make more plays. Teams are blitzing and switching more, so I’m figuring out how to make the right passes and take advantage of mismatches.”
This is the third date of a five-game road swing for the Knicks, who are fourth in the East. They poured in a season-high 145 points in a win Monday night over the Denver Nuggets — which set Nuggets coach Michael Malone aflame in a table-pounding post-game press conference.
Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau was much calmer in his remarks, noting the defensive effort his team is putting forth.
“You look at what all the markers are telling you, over the last five games, we have averaged 123 points and given up 115, and we have won four of five. Net rating (is) the most important stat there is to me,” Thibodeau said. “Then I look at how many points we are giving up in the paint, we’re top five there, how many second-chance points, we’re top five there.
“I think the physicality is there, the rebounding is there. Now it never ends, it’s something you have to always work on, so that’s where we are.”
Offensively, the Knicks rank fourth in the NBA at 119.1 ppg. OG Anunoby had a career-high 40 points in the win over Denver.
Karl-Anthony Towns has been just what the Knicks wanted when they acquired him in the offseason. He leads the Knicks at 26.3 ppg, while Jalen Brunson has put up 24.9.
The Knicks are still without contributors Precious Achiuwa (hamstring) and Mitchell Robinson (ankle) and while it’s unlikely either will play on this road trip, Thibodeau said both are making progress in recovering.
“We’re really encouraged with both guys,” he said.
Dallas has swept the season series from the Knicks in each of the last two seasons.
