Dallas Mavericks at New York Knicks  (January 7)

Larry Johnson, strained hamstring, and Chris Childs, back spasms, did not
play.

The Mavs were up 8-5 with 8:25 remaining when New York called a timeout 
and it was time for my plane to board.  I should be very greatful that I
wasn't able to listen to the rest of the game.  New York committed 5 
turnovers during the first 4 minutes.  Dallas then missed the last 17 
shots of the quarter and their only point came from a technical free 
throw.  New York led 23-9 after 1.  Dallas shot 14% (3-21) FG in the 
quarter.  New York tried to help by committing 10 turnovers.  Patrick 
Ewing had 6 points and John Starks had 5 points.  Dallas tied the team 
record for fewest points in the 1st quarter.

Chris Gatling finally scored a basket for the Mavs to put the score at
23-13 with 10:55 remaining.  Gatling hit another basket to put the score
at New York 26-18.  Unfortunately, Gatling collected his 4th foul with 
8:13 remaining and sat for the rest of the quarter.  A basket from Derek 
Harper cut New York's lead to 36-21 with 7:20 to go.  Dallas would not
score a basket for 6 minutes as New York went on a 14-1 run, including 2
3-pointers from Starks, to put New York up 50-22 with 1:30 left.  New 
York led 54-28 at the half.  New York shot 54% (21-39) FG and Dallas 
shot 20.5% (8-39) FG including 1-12 3-pointers.  New York out-rebounded 
Dallas 33-17.  Dallas' 28 points in the half and 8 field goal made tied 
the team record lows.  Starks had 17 points.  Sam Cassell left the game 
early in the 2nd with back spasms and did not return.

Allan Houston score 10 points in the 3rd quarter as the blowout continued.
New York had their largest lead at 81-40 with 39 seconds left.  New York
led 81-42 after 3.

Greg Dreiling got the putback and hit a 3-pointer in the final 32 seconds
to keep the Mavs from breaking their team record low game of 68 points.
Samaki Walker suffered a sprained left ankle with a minute left in the
game.  New York 102, Dallas 72.


Quotes
Patrick Ewing: "It was a big win for us.  We were shorthanded and we 
wanted to come out and play big.  We know what type of team they are.
They have great individual one-on-one type players.  We wanted to make
sure we shut them down.  Defensively, we stopped their top gun and we 
were able to stop their bench."

John Starks: "We played freelance, so to speak, and we took full advantage
of that.  We tend to relax when we get big leads, but we didn't relax 
tonight.  We kept the pressure up and continued to be aggressive."

Starks: "I thought defensively we played very well.  We got up into 
them and we didn't let them move the ball around like they wanted to.
We helped very well when the guards got in the lane and we basically 
made good offensive plays out there.  This is a team in a transition 
with the new players that they have."

Starks: "We got to keep the pressure up, keep pushing the basketball.
We tend to relax when we get big leads; we didn't relax [tonight].   We
kept the pressure up and continued to be aggressive."

Jim Cleamons: "I've had my butt kicked in before, lost by 30, and it 
will probably happen again.  We had a pretty good week of preparation 
with the hope that we would play better, but you can't shoot the ball 
like that in the first half and expect to survive against a quality
basketball team."

Cleamons: "We got great looks, but just couldn't put the ball in the hoop.
That's the bottom line.  When you shoot what we did in the first quarter 
and the first half, you have two chances - slim and none, and slim is on 
its way out of town."

Cleamons: "Like I told the team at halftime, Stevie Wonder, Roy Orbison 
and Ray Charles could have hit some of those shots - or at least come 
close.  We acted like 12 people who were dropped down from outer space, 
put uniforms on and played like we had never seen one another before."

Greg Dreiling: "At the end of the third quarter I told the guys we 
needed points.  I said we better get enough to avoid the dang record.  I
wanted the guys to know you don't want to be in the record books for
that.  I didn't know about the team record [of 68], but I didn't want 
any part of that other record.  I was already part of a 13-win season in
Dallas. That was enough for me."

Chris Gatling: "We laid an egg.  A rotten one."

Derek Harper on not starting: "I would have liked to have started, sure, 
but I told coach when Sam got here that it's his job when he's ready.  I
know my role here, and it's to be a backup."

Harper: "The ovation [from the New York crowd] is one of the highlights 
of my career.  I'll remember it for the rest of my life.  I'm just 
disappointed we couldn't give them something to be in the game about."

Sam Cassell: "It wasn't pretty.  But it's not the end of the world.  
I'll be back.  We'll be back."

Dal-NY boxscore