The Mavs dropped to an abysmal 2-7 to start the season after their latest loss to the now four-win Knicks by a final tally of 93-77. Carmelo Anthony struggled in the first half, but delivered a strong second half performance which included outscoring the Mavs personally 17-12 in the third quarter. A lineup of Seth Curry, Wesley Matthews, Harrison Barnes, Dwight Powell and J.J. Barea simply failed to put up anywhere near enough points to keep up with a solid offensive team.
The Mavs’ youth movement this offseason may have helped Dallas in the long term, but Harrison Barnes is simply the Mavs’ only viable scoring option with Dirk Nowitzki, Deron Williams, and Devin Harris sidelined.