The Dallas Mavericks are aiming for another win without Luka Doncic as they host the New York Knicks on Wednesday night.
Doncic has missed the last three games due to a sprained wrist and is set to be reevaluated later this week. The Mavericks, currently ninth in the Western Conference, have won five of their last six games and are 2-1 since Doncic’s injury.
Kyrie Irving scored 32 points in the Mavericks’ win over Atlanta on Monday, despite Dallas also missing Quentin Grimes and Klay Thompson.
The Mavericks received a significant boost from 7-footer Daniel Gafford, who added 10 points and is averaging a career-high 12.3 points per game.
Gafford, 26, was acquired from the Bulls and Wizards at the trade deadline last year and leads the NBA in field goal percentage at 72 percent.
This is the third game of a five-game road trip for the Knicks, who are currently fourth in the East.
They scored a season-high 145 points in a victory over the Denver Nuggets on Monday, prompting a fiery post-game press conference from Nuggets coach Michael Malone.
Offensively, the Knicks rank fourth in the NBA, averaging 119.1 points per game. OG Anunoby scored a career-high 40 points in the win over Denver. Karl-Anthony Towns has been a key acquisition for the Knicks, leading the team with 26.3 points per game, while Jalen Brunson averages 24.9.
The Knicks are without Precious Achiuwa (hamstring) and Mitchell Robinson (ankle), and while it’s unlikely either will play on this road trip, coach Tom Thibodeau noted both are making progress in their recoveries.
Dallas has swept the season series from the Knicks in each of the past two seasons.
