The Knicks are back on the road again, and the same story follows them everywhere: they still haven’t won outside Madison Square Garden. That alone hangs over Wednesday’s game in Dallas, because the roster walking in isn’t exactly whole. Jalen Brunson might return. OG Anunoby won’t. And depending on how that ankle feels later in the day, this matchup swings a lot.
Brunson being questionable is at least a good sign. He’s missed two straight, and the offense looked like it was running uphill without him, even though Karl-Anthony Towns and Mikal Bridges did everything they could in Miami. Towns had 25 and 15. Bridges dropped 23. Miles McBride surprised everyone with 25. They still lost 115-113 because the ball just doesn’t settle the same way without Brunson steering it.
The road part makes it worse. The Knicks haven’t won a single game away from home yet. It’s strange for a Mike Brown team, but that’s where they are.
Dallas has different problems. Bigger ones. The Mavericks are 4-11 and, honestly, they look like it. They got rolled by Minnesota 120-96 in a game that felt over halfway through the second quarter. Cooper Flagg and Brandon Williams both hit 15 points, but almost nothing else worked. The shooting dipped again. The pace was weird. The offense never looked comfortable.
They keep missing the same guys too. Kyrie Irving, Dante Exum, and Anthony Davis are all out. That has become normal at this point. The one bit of good news is actually in the frontcourt. Dereck Lively II and Daniel Gafford are both probable. If both play, the Mavericks finally get some size back. They desperately need it. Jason Kidd has basically been plugging holes with whoever is available, and that hasn’t gone well.
If Brunson sits, the Knicks still probably feel like they should win. Dallas is just stuck right now. Nothing consistent. Nothing trustworthy on that roster until they get healthier and figure out who they want to be.
Tipoff comes at a weird moment for both teams. New York is trying to prove it can win outside of Manhattan. Dallas is trying to stop the bleeding. One side feels close to finding answers. The other is still searching.
If Brunson’s ankle holds up, the Knicks have the edge. Even without him, this is a game sitting right there. It’s just up to New York to take advantage of a team that hasn’t found its footing all season.
