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Monday Feburary 13th,
8:00 PM
TV: MSG, NBALP
Radio: ESPN 1050
Mavericks look to start new streak against hapless Knicks
Preview: New York (14-36) at Dallas (39-11) 8:30 pm EST
DALLAS (Ticker) -- After having a long winning streak snapped, the Dallas Mavericks will try to extend a long losing skid for the New York Knicks on Monday.
The Mavericks fell a game shy of matching a franchise-record 14-game winning streak in Friday's 113-104 loss at Denver, the club's first setback since January 11, which ironically came against the Knicks.
Keith Van Horn and Jerry Stackhouse combined for 41 points and Dallas shot 51 percent (41-of-80) from the floor, but had little answer defensively. The Nuggets shot 56 percent (45-of-81) in the Mavericks' worst defensive effort since that last loss in New York, a 117-115 overtime contest.
The Knicks were in the midst of a six-game run of their own when the clubs last met, but have lost 15 of 17 since and nine in a row to cement themselves in the Atlantic Division basement.
They fell to 0-3 on their four-game road trip with Sunday's 90-83 loss at Houston. Quentin Richardson scored 19 points and Jamal Crawford added 15 for New York, which is 0-6 without point guard Stephon Marbury.
The Knicks are two games in the loss side ahead of the Charlotte Bobcats (14-38), who own the worst record in the Eastern Conference.
FINAL SCORE
Knicks - 72
Mavs - 100
Box Score
Mavericks Deal Knicks Tenth Straight Loss
Recap:DALLAS, Feb. 13 (Ticker) -- The New York Knicks hoped to snap their nine-game losing streak and sweep the season series from the Dallas Mavericks. That turned out to be wishful thinking.
Dirk Nowitzki scored 21 points and Jason Terry added 15 as the Mavericks thoroughly pounded the Knicks, 100-72, in a matchup of teams clearly headed in opposite directions.
On Jan. 11, New York recorded a 117-115 overtime victory vs. Dallas as part of its season-high six-game winning streak. But quite a lot has changed since that point.
The Knicks have gone on to lose 16 of their last 17 games, while the Mavericks proceeded to win an NBA-best 13 straight prior to Friday's 113-104 loss to Denver.
However, Dallas rebounded in impressive fashion Monday behind a balanced attack led by Nowitzki, who made 5-of-12 shots and all 11 of his free throws.
The Mavericks, who still have not lost back-to-back games since Nov. 29-Dec. 1, never trailed in this one after Josh Howard's 3-pointer with 4:38 to play in the first quarter gave them a 21-19 lead.
Dallas took command of the contest with an 18-4 run bridging the first two periods that included a pair of 3-pointers from former Knick Keith Van Horn and four points from Jerry Stackhouse.
The Mavericks extended their cushion to 51-31 midway through the second quarter with a 10-2 run that featured a pair of jumpers by Nowitzki and a three-point play by Marquis Daniels.
New York whittled its deficit to 63-51 on Eddy Curry's three-point play with 7:24 remaining in the third quarter, but Dallas responded with a 16-4 run over the next 5 1/2 minutes to end any hopes of a comeback.
Howard ignited the burst with a bank shot, Terry added a 3-pointer and Nowitzki five free throws for the Mavericks, who shot 7-of-7 from the line during the surge and finished 34-of-37 for the game.
Howard scored 14 points, Van Horn 11 and Erick Dampier 11 with 12 rebounds for Dallas, which forced 19 turnovers and has held 14 of its last 15 opponents under 100 points.
Rookie Channing Frye scored 10 points and pulled down a career-high 14 boards for New York, which shot under 36 percent (25-of-70) in falling to 0-10 without point guard Stephon Marbury.
