NEW YORK — It was supposed to be an indictment on Jalen Brunson’s free agency. Instead, Tim Hardaway Jr. made it about himself. And that wasn’t good for the Knicks.
Hardaway Jr., the two-time Knick shipped away in the Kristaps Porzingis trade, shouted “It’s My City” while he dominated his former team with 28 points on eight 3-pointers, as the Mavericks embarrassed the home team in Saturday’s Madison Square Garden matinee, 121-100.
The turning point was a third quarter won by the Mavericks, 41-15, with Hardaway Jr. and Luka Doncic combining for 36 of those Dallas points.
The fourth quarter was extended garbage time, with Knicks owner James Dolan observing from his usual baseline seat.
The Mavericks (11-11) have struggled this season and much of the blame fell on losing Brunson in free agency to the Knicks (10-13). But they weren’t missing Brunson on Saturday, when Dallas dropped 24 treys and had the Garden crowd jeering.
Brunson had just 13 points and the Knicks were outscored by 26 with him on the court. Doncic finished with a game-high 30 points.
