Cooper Flagg and Naji Marshall scored 11 points apiece during a dominant second quarter Monday for the visiting Dallas Mavericks, who never trailed in a 114-97 rout of the reeling New York Knicks.
Max Christie scored a game-high 26 points and shattered his career high with eight 3-pointers for the Mavericks — including three in the second, when Dallas outscored the Knicks 44-25 while opening a 30-point lead. Christie’s six 3-pointers in the first half broke his previous single-game best of five, set three times previously.
Marshall finished with 19 points while Flagg, who missed the previous two games with a left ankle injury, had 18 points and seven rebounds in his NBA debut at Madison Square Garden.
Moussa Cisse (15 points) and Klay Thompson (14 points) each scored in double figures off the bench for the Mavericks, who tied a season high with their third straight win. Dallas has outscored the Knicks and Utah Jazz by 57 points in the three victories.
Karl-Anthony Towns (22 points, 18 rebounds) and reserve Mitchell Robinson (12 points, 15 rebounds) each had a double-double for the Knicks, who have lost nine of 11, including six by double digits. New York is 7-11 since winning the NBA Cup final over the San Antonio Spurs on Dec. 16.
Jalen Brunson also had 22 points and six assists in his return from a two-game absence due to a right ankle injury. Josh Hart, who missed Saturday’s 106-99 loss to the Phoenix Suns, finished with eight points and six rebounds.
Christie sank three 3-pointers in a game-opening 16-4 run for the Mavericks, who led by as many as 15 before ending the first with a 31-22 lead. Flagg scored Dallas’ first seven points in the second, when the Knicks got within seven points for the final time at 38-31 on Robinson’s dunk with 9:23 left.
The Mavericks scored the next 13 points to take their first 20-point lead on Marshall’s layup with 6:41 remaining. The Knicks were 0-for-6 with a pair of turnovers during the Dallas run.
Christie’s 3-pointer put the Mavericks ahead 75-45 with 51 seconds remaining. Dallas led 75-47 at the half and never allowed the Knicks to get closer than 15 over the final two quarters.
