The New York Knicks took care of business against a depleted Dallas Mavericks team Tuesday, defeating them at Madison Square Garden by a score of 128-113. New York improves to 45-26 while Dallas falls to 35-38.
Josh Hart and Karl-Anthony made history for the Knicks
This game included quite a bit of history from a pair of Knicks players. Josh Hart and Karl-Anthony Towns both recorded a triple-double, making it the first time that a pair of Knicks teammates recorded a triple-double in the same.
Furthermore, Hart now has set the franchise record for most triple-doubles in a single season with nine. The previous record was Walt Frazier. Hart finished the night with 16 points, 12 rebounds, and 11 assists, while Towns finished with 26 points, 12 rebounds, and 11 assists.
Hart and Towns weren’t the only catalysts behind Tuesday’s victory, as OG Anunoby had an offensive explosion with a team-high 35 points on 15-for-24 shooting and 3-for-6 from three. Anunoby has had some big offensive games in Jalen Brunson’s absence, and he put his versatility on full display against Dallas.
The Knicks weren’t the only ones with a big performance out of their forward, as Dallas’ Naji Marshall set a new career-high with 38 points on 17-for-25 shooting. He had 28 of those points in the first half as the Knicks struggled to contain him all night, but luckily New York’s offense was on point from the get-go to get the victory.
Tyler Kolek was impactful in his minutes once again
Knicks rookie guard Tyler Kolek got more playing time with Miles McBride out for the second straight game, and he made the most of his minutes.
After recording eight assists off the bench against the Wizards, he followed that up with nine assists in 19 minutes against the Mavericks on Tuesday. His exceptional playmaking skills helped keep their offense flowing and gave Dallas essentially no answer to stop them.
Kolek has been mostly out of the rotation this season, and that will likely continue with the playoffs just around the corner. However, he could be playing his way into a big role for next season and beyond.
Overview
The Knicks got a big win at home and are back on track. New York has a quick turnaround as they take on the Los Angeles Clippers in a back-to-back on Wednesday night.