Irving contributes 23 points as the Mavericks defeat the Knicks 129-114, enhancing their record to 4-1 in the absence of Doncic.

Kyrie Irving contributed 23 points to the Dallas Mavericks' victory over the New York Knicks, resulting in a 129-114 scoreline on Wednesday night. This win improved the Mavericks' record to 4-1 this season, despite the absence of their star player, Luka Doncic, who missed his fourth consecutive game due to a sprained right wrist. Jalen Brunson matched his season-high by scoring 37 points for New York in his second matchup against his former team in Dallas. Karl-Anthony Towns recorded 25 points and 14 rebounds, while OG Anunoby struggled, managing only eight points on 3-of-15 shooting, following a career-best performance of 40 points just two nights prior. The Mavericks also played without two other starters, Klay Thompson (plantar fascia) and Daniel Gafford (illness). Naji Marshall led the Mavericks with 24 points, while Spencer Dinwiddie and P.J. Washington added 21 and 19 points, respectively, with Washington also grabbing 10 rebounds.

In terms of notable moments, Towns faced the Mavericks for the first time since the Western Conference finals with Minnesota, where he had a challenging start, shooting only 28% in the first three games of that series. Towns was acquired by New York in a significant trade that sent Julius Randle to Minnesota. Additionally, Doncic and Brunson, who were both drafted in 2018, have only met once in five encounters since Brunson joined the Knicks as a free agent in 2022, with Dallas winning that match in December 2022.

A highlight of the evening occurred when Tom Brady entered the arena during the first quarter, generating excitement among the courtside audience as he was in town for the upcoming Thanksgiving game between Dallas and the New York Giants. Statistically, the Knicks recorded their lowest scoring quarter of the season with just 15 points, occurring two nights after they set a season-high with 145 points in a victory over Denver. Looking ahead, the Knicks will face Charlotte on Friday, while the Mavericks are set to play against Utah on Saturday.