Mavs put on a show at the Garden
NEW YORK — Luka Doncic had a game-high 30 points, Tim Hardaway Jr. chipped in 28 points against his former team, and the Dallas Mavericks beat the New York Knicks 121-100 on Saturday.
Spencer Dinwiddie scored 17 points for Dallas, which outscored New York 69-41 in the second half for just its second win seven games.
“I think it's great that everyone's in the locker room smiling,” Mavericks coach Jason Kidd said. “Everybody saw the ball go in, we shared the ball, we played the right way. ... We're a team that lives or dies by the 3, and today we made them.”
Forward Julius Randle led the Knicks with 24 points, and Immanuel Quickly chipped in 23. Leading scorer Jalen Brunson had 13 points playing against Dallas for the first time since he signed with the Knicks on July 12, but New York fell for the sixth time in its past eight games.
“To be honest, not fun,” Brunson said when asked what it was like playing against his former team. “They played great tonight. You got to give them credit. No matter who is on the
floor, my approach stays the same. But to see them after the game and shake their hands, that was pretty cool.”
Doncic, the NBA'S leading scorer, had just 11 points on 3 of 11 shooting in the first half. But he took over in the third, scoring 19 points on 8 of 10 shooting. Dallas outscored New York 41-15 in the third quarter, turning a tight game into a rout.
Gobert tossed in loss to Thunder
Shai Gilgeous-alexander scored 33 points in his return to action and the Oklahoma City Thunder took advantage of Rudy Gobert's early ejection to post a chippy 135-128 win over the Minnesota Timberwolves on
Saturday night.
The teams were called for a combined eight technical fouls.
Gilgeous-alexander, the NBA'S third-leading scorer with a 31-point average, sat out one game earlier this week with a bruised hip.
But he had no trouble getting physical against Minnesota, making 10 of 17 shots and all 12 of his free throws.
Josh Giddey had 21 points and 12 assists for his eighth double-double of the season. Lu Dort scored 18 points as seven Thunder players reached double digits.
Tensions flared in the second quarter when Gobert was ejected for tripping Kenrich Williams. The two got tangled up on the ground after both fell as Williams made a layup with 9:22 remaining in the quarter.
As Williams attempted to get up, Gobert lifted up his right foot and tripped the Thunder forward. Gobert was called for a flagrant-2 foul while Williams received a technical.
Wade out with shoulder sprain
Cavaliers forward Dean Wade could miss one month with a sprained left shoulder, the latest injury for a Cleveland team that has been dealing with them all season.
Wade got hurt in the first half of Friday's win over the Orlando Magic. The Cavaliers said Sunday that imaging tests confirmed the diagnosis of an AC joint sprain. Wade didn't score a point in 10 minutes before getting hurt.
Wade is averaging 6.4 points and 4.1 rebounds in 24 minutes. He has started nine games as coach J.B. Bickerstaff has been forced to juggle lineups due to injuries.
The Cavs still are without All-star center Jarrett Allen, who missed his fifth straight game Sunday night in New York because of a back injury.