Mavericks Rally For Huge Home Win Over Knicks

The Dallas Mavericks clawed, scratched and kicked for an ugly, but huge, win over the New York Knicks at American Airlines Center.

Well, there’s no place like home – at least sometimes.

The Dallas Mavericks entered Wednesday night’s game against the New York Knicks at American Airlines Center still standing on the playoff porch, but not in the door, with a record of 36-38, just a half-game behind the eighth-seeded Houston Rockets and just a game behind the Utah Jazz, who held the seventh seed in the Western Conference.

A 91-89 win against the NBA Lottery-bound Knicks served notice that the Mavericks still have ambition to make the playoffs in just a couple of weeks. The Mavericks are now tied with Houston and are closing in on Utah – more on that in a minute.

J.J. Barea was the hero of the night for a Dallas squad that played rather poorly up until the final few minutes of the game – fortunately New York was awful down the stretch. Without 26 points from the Mavs’ little big man, Dallas would have been toasted in this game. Also key was the fact that Knicks rookie phenom Kristaps Porzingis didn’t play due to a sore shoulder.

The Mavericks went with the same young lineup that they went with on Monday against the Denver Nuggets at Pepsi Center. Rookie Justin Anderson picked up another start in the front court, as did second-year center/forward Dwight Powell. Anderson was able to pick up seven points and nine rebounds and also added a couple of steals and a blocked shot.

Evident is the fact that the Mavericks have allowed less than 90 points in their last two games. Granted, these two wins against New York and Denver haven’t come against the NBA’s elite, but there’s something to be said for the athleticism that both Anderson and Powell bring to the table.

How else do you explain two wins in which Dirk Nowitzki shot a collective 9-of-40 from the field and hit just two free throws? The big German didn’t see the charity stripe once against the Knicks.

Think about that.

Reserve center Salah Mejri didn’t play for the second straight game and the question begs whether or not his playing time will increase. Forward Chandler Parsons and Deron Williams were both out of uniform, Parsons likely for the season, and yet the Mavericks continue to fight for their postseason lives.

Both top seeds in the NBA haven’t done the Mavericks any favors of late.

The top-seeded Cleveland Cavaliers fell to the Rockets 106-100 on Tuesday night, certainly a game that could’ve put the Mavericks right back in the playoffs following the win over the Knicks. A week from Thursday the Mavericks can take their final shot at the Rockets at AAC, but they’ll have to survive a couple of road games over the weekend for that game to have much meaning. Houston takes on the lukewarm Chicago Bulls (37-37) on Thursday night at home followed by a meeting with the Oklahoma City Thunder at Toyota Center on Sunday.

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Even bigger, at least for the Mavericks, was the Golden State Warriors overtime win over the Jazz, a game that now creates a three-way, 37-38 logjam at the bottom of the Western Conference standings. The Mavericks get their final shot at the Jazz on April 11, so one way or the other this ménages à trois between the Mavs, Rockets and Jazz will be settled soon.

The Mavericks travel to Detroit to meet the Pistons on Friday night and then visit the Minnesota Timberwolves on Sunday.

• Published on 03/31/2016 at 04:04 AM
• Last updated at 03/31/2016 at 04:04 AM