DALLAS — On Wednesday night, the Dallas Mavericks secured a victory over the New York Knicks with a score of 129-114, improving their season record to 4-1 even in the absence of their star player, Luka Doncic, who is sidelined due to a sprained right wrist. Kyrie Irving led the Mavericks with 23 points, showcasing his scoring ability amidst injuries to key team members.

Jalen Brunson, playing against his former team, delivered a stellar performance for the Knicks with a season-high 37 points. Meanwhile, Karl-Anthony Towns contributed 25 points and 14 rebounds. OG Anunoby, however, struggled offensively, managing only eight points on 3-of-15 shooting just two nights after scoring a career-best 40 points.

The Mavericks were also without other key players, including Klay Thompson, who is dealing with plantar fasciitis, and Daniel Gafford, who missed the game due to illness. In addition to Irving, Dallas saw significant contributions from Naji Marshall, who scored 24 points, Spencer Dinwiddie, who added 21 points, and P.J. Washington, who recorded a double-double with 19 points and 10 rebounds.

In terms of historical context, this marked Towns’ first matchup against the Mavericks since facing them in the Western Conference finals while with the Minnesota Timberwolves. During that series, Towns struggled, shooting just 28% in the first three games as the Timberwolves fell behind 3-0 and ultimately lost the series in five games. Towns joined the Knicks in a significant trade that sent Julius Randle to Minnesota.

This match also highlighted a trend: Doncic and Brunson have met only once in five encounters since Brunson signed with the Knicks in 2022, after both had previously played together and advanced to the West finals with the Mavericks in 2022. In their only prior matchup in December 2022, the Mavericks achieved a win at Madison Square Garden.

A notable moment in the game occurred when NFL analyst Tom Brady was spotted courtside during the first quarter, drawing cheers and excitement from the crowd, as he was in town for the upcoming Thanksgiving game between the Dallas Cowboys and New York Giants.

In terms of performance statistics, the Knicks struggled offensively, managing a mere 15 points in the first quarter, marking their lowest scoring in a quarter this season. This was a stark contrast to their previous game, where they set an NBA high with 145 points against the Denver Nuggets.

Looking ahead, the Knicks will face the Charlotte Hornets on Friday, while the Mavericks are set to take on the Utah Jazz on Saturday.