Clutch Chaos: Brunson’s Return, Shamet Daggers Lift Knicks Past Mavericks 113-111

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DALLAS, TX — In a dramatic, chaotic finish at the American Airlines Center, the New York Knicks (9-5) secured their first road victory of the season, holding on to edge the struggling Dallas Mavericks (4-12) with a narrow 113-111 win on Wednesday night. The victory was a wild affair that saw the Knicks lead big, struggle with free throws, and ultimately rely on a pair of clutch three-pointers and a last-second controversial call to survive.

The night was dominated by the return of Jalen Brunson, who missed the previous two games with a grade 1 ankle sprain. Playing against his former team, Brunson delivered a vintage performance, scoring a game-high 28 points along with five assists, demonstrating the elite composure and scoring punch the Knicks desperately needed. Brunson, who has now averaged nearly 27 points against the Mavericks in his career, helped guide a Knicks team that was otherwise cold from beyond the arc for much of the night, shooting just 3-for-22 in the first half.

The victory, however, was sealed by the unexpected heroics of guard Landry Shamet. In the final 90 seconds, with the Knicks trailing by two, Shamet drilled a wide-open three-pointer to give New York the lead. After a brief tie, Shamet struck again, sinking another clutch trey with 31.4 seconds remaining to push the Knicks ahead 112-109. Shamet, who also drew the final game-winning defensive play, provided the spark the Knicks needed after an uneven offensive night that included the team shooting an abysmal 19-for-35 (54.3%) from the free-throw line.

The game concluded with a torrent of late-game drama. After Brunson made one of two free throws to give the Knicks a two-point cushion with 3.8 seconds left, Dallas guard Brandon Williams drove hard to the basket and appeared to score the tying layup just before the buzzer. However, Williams was immediately whistled for a charging foul for hooking around Shamet, a call that was upheld after review, denying the Mavericks the tie and sealing the ugly, necessary win for New York.

Center Karl-Anthony Towns provided crucial interior help for the Knicks, recording a double-double with 18 points and 14 rebounds, while Josh Hart added 16 points and 10 rebounds off the bench, bringing the high-energy needed to overcome the team’s shooting struggles. The victory snapped a four-game road losing streak for the Knicks and marked Brunson’s first win against his former team, a feat he celebrated, if only cautiously. “Chaos,” Brunson said of the finish. “At the same time, found a way to win. It was ugly. When you win ugly, it’s a sign of a team learning, getting better.”

The Knicks will try to clean up their play when they continue their road trip against Orlando on Saturday.