Game Log: Jan 30, 2019: Dallas 114 NY 90

A yawn of a loss would prove a transcendent loss.

In the first half, Trey Burke was penetrating, scoring, dishing. And then Allonzo Trier and Mitchell Robinson put on their show. Our tweet at the time:

Trier to Robinson

Trier to Robinson

Trier misses a 3; Robinson offensive rebound and putback

Trier to Robinson

The Knicks fell behind by 8 at the half. Dallas was running a big front line at the Knicks — at one point 6’7 Damyean Dotson was guarding 7′ Dirk Nowitzki — Dallas had Dwight Powell (6’11”), Maxi Kleber (6’11”) and Nowitski on the court agains the Knicks Mitchell Robinson (7’1), Mario Hezonja (6’8) and the guards. “We want Kanter” chants were heard loudly at the Garden with Knicks down 16 and 7 minutes left in 3rd. Finally, with NY down 17 with 5 min left in 3rd — Kanter came off the bench to play for the first time in 4 games. He kissed the Knicks logo on the Madison Square Garden floor.

Enes Kanter kisses the Knicks logo on the floor upon coming into the game for the Knicks tonight. It's the first time he's playing after 4 straight DNPs. Fizdale brings him in with 5:24 left in the 3rd and Knicks down 16, after "We want Kanter" chant broke out at MSG. pic.twitter.com/M9M5xTMCy1

— Mike Vorkunov (@MikeVorkunov) January 31, 2019

Kanter threw an air ball up on his first shot (rust) but then connected with Trier.

Big 🦃 in the building 🙌 pic.twitter.com/2zxKX62XIy

— NEW YORK KNICKS (@nyknicks) January 31, 2019

Overall Kanter’s entry didn’t make the Knicks play better. They soon fell behind by over 20 points. Kanter played 9 of the final 17 minutes.

The Knicks showed no fight in the second half. Dallas rolled to the 24 point win.  Knicks fell to 10-40, hitting their low point of the season.

On Dallas’s side — Luka Doncic seemed pedestrian at his first MSG appearance, but Dennis Smith Jr penetrated for 11 points and 15 assists and Wesley Matthews looked deadeye from 3 (5 for 9) — compared to Tim Hardaway Jr — 2 for 11 for 6 points.

Meanwhile at @23savage____'s block party… pic.twitter.com/KenMZeWfBS

— NEW YORK KNICKS (@nyknicks) January 31, 2019

The Trade

And then the next day — this afternoon — the trade — Kristaps Porzingis, and Tim Hardaway Jr, and Trey Burke, and Courtney Lee — to the Mavericks for Dennis Smith Jr, Wesley Matthews, DeAndre Jordan, and a pair of future #1 picks.

So here’s Dennis Smith Jr:

13 PTS. Career-high 15 AST. 10 REB.

In the @dallasmavs win. @Dennis1SmithJr becomes the 2nd youngest player to record a triple-double at the current Madison Square Garden (Magic Johnson)! #MFFL pic.twitter.com/cou3PeFj0d

— NBA (@NBA) January 31, 2019

Thus the transcendence of this loss — the next day 6 players who played in the game went to the other team! Crazy. We’ll have more on the trade in another article when we have time to write it. For now we’re compiling our thoughts on twitter.

The Boxscore:

http://www.espn.com/nba/boxscore?gameId=401071431