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5) Knicks vs. Mavericks (November, 26 2014)
Pop quiz: Name the team that nearly knocked off the world champion Spurs in last year’s playoffs? The answer is somewhat surprising. As an 8th seed, the Mavericks nearly upset San Antonio in the first round in a seven-game thriller. While Dallas fell in its upset bid, the team showed some grit and potential to succeed in the near future with some roster retooling.
That’s exactly what Mavericks owner Mark Cuban accomplished this summer. Prior to the draft, Dallas welcomed back center Tyson Chandler and acquired Raymond Felton in a trade with the Knicks. The Mavericks shipped Jose Calderon, Samuel Dalembert, Shane Larkin, Wayne Ellington, and two second round picks to New York in the deal. LeBron James then sent the free agency wheels in motion when he bolted for Cleveland and Carmelo Anthony decided to re-sign with New York. These moves left the door open for the Mavericks to offer restricted free agent Chandler Parsons a lucrative deal as Houston attempted to snatch Chris Bosh from Miami. Bosh ended up returning to South Beach, Parson signed the deal in Dallas, and Houston was left in the cold. The Mavericks also brought in new faces, Jameer Nelson, Al-Farouq Aminu, Ivan Johnson, and Richard Jefferson.
Last year, the two teams split the season series. The Knicks captured a huge road win in January as part of the Texas road trip and Dallas returned the favor by topping New York on its home floor in late February. Chandler should help the Mavericks improve from a defensive point and their potent offense will remain dynamic with Parsons on the wing.
This Thanksgiving Eve matchup will provide a ton of intrigue with the traded pieces meeting for the first time in Big D. Tipoff is scheduled for 7:30 PM on Wednesday, November 26.
Next up: Knicks take center stage in Los Angeles on New Year's Eve.