The Knicks are in the midst of a three-game losing streak, and the panic meter seems to grow after each defeat.
The NBA Cup hangover has ballooned into a 2-8 record over the team’s last 10 games.
Now, Jason Kidd and an injury-riddled Dallas Mavericks come to the Garden on Monday afternoon.
Oddsmakers have the Knicks as a 10-point favorite on the spread, with the Over/Under set at 229.5 points.
In Saturday’s seven-point loss to the Suns, the Knicks held a 10-point lead late in the third quarter. However, defensive breakdowns and ill-advised turnovers propelled Phoenix to a late victory.
On the offensive side, Karl-Anthony Towns notched his 28th double-double of the season (23 points, 11 rebounds), Deuce McBride poured in five 3-pointers, and OG Anunoby added 21 points.
The conundrum Mike Brown needs to figure out is what happened to the energetic, fearless edge the Knicks started the season with. Suddenly, it’s been replaced by poor habits from last season, highlighted by their inability to sustain momentum and costly late-game errors.
Jordan Clarkson and Tyler Kolek struggled on Saturday. Clarkson has always been a microwave scorer, but his 2-for-8 shooting left him with a minus-13 in the plus/minus department. Kolek’s three turnovers to one assist ratio made him a -17.
Luckily for New York, Jalen Brunson and Josh Hart are each questionable but trending toward returning for this contest against Dallas. The Knicks need their dependable backcourt to help tighten up loose ends and play a full 48 minutes.
More importantly, they are 19-8 when both Brunson and Hart suit up this season.
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The Mavericks’ injury report is headlined by Anthony Davis and Cooper Flagg. Davis will be in street clothes, joined by Daniel Gafford, D’Angelo Russell, and P.J. Washington. Flagg, who sustained a sprained ankle, will be a game-time call.
Flagg has shown promise, averaging 18.8 points, 6.2 rebounds, and 4.2 assists as the Mavericks remain nine games below .500.
Dallas also holds a 4-14 road record and a 5-13 ATS record as an away team.
The Knicks excel at MSG, posting a 16-5 home record and a 14-7 ATS mark.
New York should be able to answer the call and cover versus a vulnerable Mavericks team.
The PLAY: Knicks -10 (-110, FanDuel)
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Mike Turay is a sports journalist and editor who closely follows the NBA, NFL, college sports and UFC. He has demonstrated expertise in both NBA and NFL player prop bets for nearly three years. Mike is also highly knowledgeable about the sportsbook offer landscape, frequently trying and reviewing the latest apps and sites.
