#New York Knicks

#New York Knicks

NEW YORK -- Max Christie scored a season-high 26 points, Cooper Flagg had 18 in his first pro game at Madison Square Garden and the Dallas Mavericks rolled to a 114-97 victory Monday over the New York Knicks, who were booed frequently in the first half while falling behind by 30. The Knicks lost their fourth straight and ninth in 11 games, even with Jalen Brunson and Josh Hart back from ankle injuries to return them to full strength.

The Washington Wizards are being monitored ahead of the NBA trade deadline in February for a variety of reasons. Not only do the Wizards have several glaring holes on the roster that need to be addressed, but they also have multiple players who could be major additions for playoff-bound teams looking for an upgrade to their depth chart. Whether the Wizards plan to be buyers or sellers at the deadline is still unknown,

The Knicks took care of business first, defeating the Orlando Magic 132-120 after a stellar performance from guard Jalen Brunson. He dropped a season-high 40 points, plus eight assists. It marked Brunson's 19th 40-point performance as a Knick, the third most in franchise history, according to ESPN Research. Knicks coach Mike Brown said Brunson's performance is "what MVPs are supposed to do."

Victor Wembanyama returned from a 12-game absence with 22 points and nine rebounds, giving San Antonio a surge and the Oklahoma City Thunder just their second loss with the 111-109 victory Saturday night putting the Spurs in the NBA Cup final. The Spurs play the New York Knicks in Tuesday night's final. Oklahoma's last defeat was on 5 November at Portland, and the Thunder carried a 16-game winning streak into this game.