Train Wreck. Knicks CRUSHED at Home as Losing Streak Continues. Dallas 114 NY 97

January 20, 2026 LouV 2025-26 0
Mitchell Robinson had 12 pts on 6-8 shooting, and 14 rebounds with 2 blocks in 19 minutes. He was a BEAST.

Jalen Brunson was back. Josh Hart was back. Mitchell Robinson played in BEAST mode with his most spectacular game of a spectacular season — 12 pts on 6-8 shooting with 14 rebounds and 2 blocks in 19 minutes. Karl-Anthony Towns scored 22 pts with 18 rebounds.

And yet the Knicks were DESTROYED from the opening bell — crushed to smithereens by an undermanned Dallas Mavericks team at Madison Square Garden on an early Monday evening — 5pm start for Martin Luther King day. NY has now lost 9 of their last 11.

Dallas coach Jason Kidd‘s team was more prepared and ran circles around the Knicks, who seemed unprepared and discombobulated all night. The Mavericks sneakers were “squealing”, as Walt Frazier put it on the broadcast, as Dallas dug in on defense. The Knicks’ sneakers didn’t make any sound.

NY was down 27-12 to start the game, and it got worse from there. Dallas took a 30-pt lead in the 2nd quarter, led by 20 to 30 pts throughout the 3rd, and cruised in the 4th — when NY finally put on a frenetic push but could only pull to within 15 with 5 minutes left before the Mavericks dispensed them.

NY couldn’t hit the 3 ball in coach Mike Brown‘s much-ballyhooed offense — and their whole game fell apart. Miles McBride had a rare off night — 0 for his first 7 from 3 and 1-8 overall — and NY fell off the table with him.

It left much of Knicks twitter pining for Tom Thibodeau, with his constant barking from the sidelines and intensity that was reflected in the way the team played.

Brown Blames the Players; Says His Coaching Fixed Things in 2nd Half

Afterwards, in the post game, coach Mike Brown blamed the players, as he often does, while stating his coaching fixed the problem in the 2nd half.

“Bottom line is we gotta lock in; we gotta do our job for 48 minutes,” said Brown afterwards. “There was nothing to be said at halftime except for ‘lock in and do your f’ng job. They scored 28 pts in the paint in the 1st half without a post-up player. We gotta put our chest on the ball and stop the ball from getting downhill into the paint, which we did in the 2nd half — they had 16 pts in the paint.”

“They had 27 fast-break points in the 1st half. 27, on track for 54,” continued Brown. “They had 7 in the 2nd half. The last thing I talked about was their hot guys were 9-11 from the 3 in the 1st half, and most of those 3’s were open or we left our feet before they shot the ball and then they were open. In the 2nd half they only got 6 off; they were 3-6. The 3 areas we talked about — no X’s and O’s — just do your job. So it’s within our guys; but we all have to do our job for 48 minutes, and it didn’t happen tonite.”

McGrady: Knicks Have Lost their Identity

Even before the game, former NBA player and current analyst Tracy McGrady said: “The identity is gone. Last year they had an identity. Thibs was all about defense. We didn’t see KAT out of position like he’s been these last 8-10 games. We didn’t see Brunson getting blown by. The scheme Thibs had for this team fit the personel they had. I think they got away from that.”

NY falls to 25-18; Dallas improves to 18-26.

1. Dallas Jumps Out to 27-12 Lead; Knicks Miss & Miss

Dallas was without Anthony Davis, Kyrie Irving, D’Angelo Russell, Daniel Gafford, Derek Lively II, PJ Washington, and Dante Exum.

It looked like Cooper Flagg might be out as well, but he suited up and killed the Knicks from the start.

Jalen Brunson and Josh Hart returned from sprained ankles for the Knicks, and Brunson hooked up Mitchell Robinson for alley-oop slams from the start. It would be the beginning of a huge night for Robinson.

Flagg and Max Christie started knocking down 3’s, while the Knicks missed every 3 they took — NY was 0-10 from 3 to start the game and Dallas raced out to a 27-12 lead. The Mavs led 31-22 after 1.

2. Dallas Goes Up by 30 as their Sneakers Squeal; Knicks Sneakers Silent

And in the 2nd quarter it got a lot worse.

Dallas was playing frenetic defense — Walt Frazier noted on the broadcast how their sneakers were squealing and you could hear the loud squeeking at home as Dallas defended. Not so much on the other end — the Knick sneakers were silent.

The Dallas defense led to fast break buckets as they ran up the score.

And despite the fact that Max Christie was RED HOT from 3 — NY didn’t put anyone on him like glue — he kept firing up open 3’s and hitting.

Karl-Anthony Towns was aggressive — driving inside for buckets, and Mitchell Robinson was a BEAST off the bench with rebounds and blocks.

But NY wasn’t getting back on defense in general, and Christie and Flagg kept popping 3’s as Dallas ran the lead up to 30.

3. Mitch Robinson Dominates But Dallas Maintains 20+ Lead

Mitch Robinson continued to be the story of the evening in the 2nd half with his strong play inside on both the offensive and defensive end of the court — but Dallas was able to maintain a 20- to 30-pt lead throughout the quarter.

4. Knicks Make Frenetic Run in 4th But Never Get Close

Finally, with about 9 minutes left in the game — NY started to play with frenetic energy — and cut the Dallas lead down to 15. McBride finally hit a 3 after going 0 for his first 7, then Mikal Bridges scored inside off a KAT pass, Josh Hart hit a 3, and Brunson hit a runner to make it a 102-87 game with 5:20 left.

But Moussa Cisse scored inside and then dunked off a Naji Marshall pass and it was good night NY.

The Boxscore

https://www.espn.com/nba/boxscore/_/gameId/401809249

 

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