“We’re huge fans (of Porzingis) and, obviously people are gonna compare him to Dirk because that’s what everybody likes to do, but when he steps up for a three, those three inches (in height) make a difference”, said Cuban. We loved him, and (Jerami) Grant too, actually, I don’t know if I said this before, it was a toss-up between Justin Anderson and Grant. Nowitzki, at 7 feet, made his mark on the game with a spectacular shooting touch from three-point range, but also with a step-back on one leg, midrange jump shot that is nearly impossible to block. During that stretch, he has averaged 19.0 points, 4.0 rebounds, 6.8 assists, 1.0 steal, and 2.6 three-pointers.
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“It’s a great road trip for us, ” Williams said. “I don’t want this to be an ongoing situation, an ongoing feeling, where we’ve got to come to the locker room and explain why we’re losing basketball games”. They can get back to. As a team the Mavs looked as sharp as ever on offense, shooting 50 percent from the field and 16 of 31 from the 3-point line and this is without Chandler Parsons who will eventually find his way into the starting lineup.
“But we were able to close out the game and that’s all that matters”.
Matthews was just 3 of 10 for 10 points. “We never relaxed when our shots stopped falling, so it kind of gave them a little bit of life”.
Fisher and Carmelo Anthony don’t want to place these outsized expectations on Porzingis, but concede that the rookie is adjusting pretty well so far, and remains a student of the game. However, after blocking Deron Williams, the Knicks were called for an offensive foul that swung the pendulum, favoring the Mavericks. “All of those things are just building up”.
The Mavs scored 34 points in the first quarter, the highest-scoring opening frame by the club all season. While the Knicks would be happy to make the playoffs this year, they are more than happy to see their fourth pick has played much better than they could have imagined.
Nowitzki said of Porzingis looking up to him, “It sort of mean I’m old, but I’ve been blessed to be around for a long time”.
It was fun at times for Nowitzki, too, in getting the win.
The 20-year-old rookie, who played in Spain last season and grew up idolizing Nowitzki, led the Knicks (10-12) with 28 points, one shy of his career high.
“Porzingis is a special player, ” Carlisle said.
“He’s a great young player, who has a chance to be truly special”.
If Porzingis has been hesitant to join in the comparisons, the Mavericks had nothing but praise for the Knick rookie – even saying that they did all they could to add him to their roster.
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Knicks Head Coach Derek Fisher said of the Porzingis/Nowitzki comparison being fair, “I just don’t see how you take two minutes of something and compare it to something, 15, 18 years, whatever years Dirk has been playing”. “He’s putting it on the floor both ways and making some runners. He’s the complete package”. That was really cool and leaves me with a good taste in my mouth despite the King’s Landing Bowl of Brown that the Knicks fed me for most of the game. “I think the sky’s the limit for this kid”.
