“We Just Got Off to a Slow Start”: Naji Marshall’s 38 Points Not Enough as Mavericks Fall to Knicks

Naji Marshall scored a career-high 38 points, but the Mavericks couldn't overcome a rough third quarter in a 128-113 loss to the Knicks at MSG.

Photo; Dallas Mavericks

Naji Marshall delivered the best game of his NBA career, but the New York Knicks (45-26) overwhelmed a depleted Dallas Mavericks (35-38) squad with a dominant second half en route to a 128-113 victory Tuesday night at Madison Square Garden.

Marshall scored a career-high 38 points on 17-of-25 shooting, including 28 in the first half alone, continuing an impressive stretch where he’s averaged 23.5 points and 7.8 rebounds over his last 12 games. But even his explosive performance couldn’t offset a second-half collapse by Dallas, which was outscored 60-45 after intermission.

The Mavericks have dropped 10 of their last 13 games and were again hit hard by injuries. They dressed only nine players and were without Anthony Davis (left adductor strain), P.J. Washington (left ankle sprain), Kyrie Irving (torn left ACL), Daniel Gafford (right knee sprain), Dereck Lively II (right ankle stress fracture), Olivier-Maxence Prosper (right wrist sprain), Dante Exum (left hand fracture), and Caleb Martin (right hip strain).

Despite that, Dallas kept pace through the first half, shooting 65.1% from the field and matching New York at 68 apiece going into the break. But things quickly unraveled in the third quarter.