The Knicks were down 20 points with 8:22 left in the game, and 19 points with just over 6 minutes left, when they launched a frenetic comeback to get within a point at 121-120 with a minute left.
NY then forced Dallas into a missed shot — and another missed shot and another missed shot — as the ball kept bounding out serendipitously to a Dallas player for an offensive rebound — before Josh Green finally hit a 3 to put Dallas up 124-120 with 27 seconds left and ballgame.
Dallas was without Luka Doncic, but Kyrie Irving put on a show and Tim Hardaway Jr had a hot night — and Dallas jumped out to a big 1st quarter lead and held it until the last 6 minutes.
“We got on our heels; then we had to fight the rest of the way, and it came down to one crucial rebound in the last minute, and we didn’t get it,” said coach Tom Thibodeau afterwards. “Our defensive transition to start the game was poor; we turned the ball over, and we put them in the open floor. They got some easy baskets; they got rhythm; they got confidence early. And once a team gets going like that it’s tough to get it turned around. We did fight to get out of that hole, so that was good. But first quarter readiness is huge in this game.”
NY falls to 22-16; Dallas improves to 23-16.
1. Dallas Jumps Out to 18-Pt Lead in 1st Quarter
Kyrie Irving put an a SHOW — 44 points on 15-26 shooting (6-10 from 3) and Tim Hardaway Jr was HOT — 10-20 shooting (6-13 from 3).
Kyrie got the game rolling with two 3’s and a deuce for the first 8 points for Dallas and an 8-2 lead.
Josh Green also killed the Knicks with 8-12 shooting (2-4 from 3) for 18 pts.
Without Luka, coach Jason Kidd had Dallas playing with desperate high energy, Kyrie leading the charge, and Dallas jumped all over the Knicks in the 1st quarter — going up by 18 on a Tim Hardaway score at the end of the quarter for a 44-26 lead.
2. Knicks Down 15 Entering 4th
The Knicks pulled within 12 in the 2nd quarter, but a Grant Williams score-and-1 at the end of the half put Dallas up 19.
strong move 💪 pic.twitter.com/QYKSgATlNG
— NEW YORK KNICKS (@nyknicks) January 12, 2024
Jalen Brunson and Julius Randle led another Knick run in the 3rd that pulled NY back within a dozen — but every time the Knicks pulled closer, Tim Hardaway Jr would hit a 3.
NY pulled to within 15 entering the 4th but again Tim Hardaway Jr hit a 3 to start the period and Dallas was up 18 again.
Jalen and Julius connection 🤝
Vote: https://t.co/bmY45lbyng pic.twitter.com/XyUNgwhzKK
— NEW YORK KNICKS (@nyknicks) January 12, 2024
3. The Frenetic Comeback
Finally the Knicks laid down the D in the final 6 minutes and launched the frenetic comeback.
On the offensive end:
- OG Anunoby hit a 3,
- Anunoby hit a drive-and-1 off a Randle feed — making the free throw for a traditional 3-pt play,
- Randle hit a drive and 1 — another 3-pt play,
- Brunson hit a drive,
- Isaiah Hartenstein dunked and NY was down 117-109 with 3:20 left.
- Brunson hit a 3 from the corner,
BANG ‼️
Vote Jalen: https://t.co/bmY45lbyng pic.twitter.com/NtoGmGrPqR
— NEW YORK KNICKS (@nyknicks) January 12, 2024
- Hartenstein made free throws,
- Brunson hit a floater and 1 — another 3-pt play and NY was down 121-117,
- Then a crazy, crisp, almost broken play with Donte DiVincenzo getting the ball in the corner as the 24-second clock was running down — and hitting a 3 to pull NY to within a point, at 121-120.
Dallas Timeout.
4. Couldn’t Get the Rebound
Out of the timeout Josh Green missed a 3 with 50 seconds left,
- but the ball bounded out to Dallas for a Tim Hardaway Jr 15-footer — that he missed,
- but the ball bounded out to Dallas for a Tim Hardaway Jr 3-pointer — that he missed,
- but the ball bounded out to Dallas for a Josh Green 3 that he hit.
Ballgame.
Down 4, OG Anunoby missed a 3 and the Knicks were forced to foul. Kyrie Irving made 2 free throws and it was over.
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