The Knicks earned their third win of the season on Thursday night, beating the Mavs 106-103, as two of their wins have come against Dallas.

Head coach David Fizdale talked about the team's struggles at home earlier this week, and also mentioned what went wrong after beating the Mavs on Nov. 11.

"I don't think it was complacency. I really don't," Fizdale said on Friday. "I really felt like this team is just trying to do so well for the city. I really do. Their intentions are right. They're trying to carry the weight of the city on their shoulders. I just told them you can't do that. I said it's an impossible task. You've got to focus on who's around you in the locker room and put forth effort for the people in the locker room and the city will appreciate that kind of effort. So hopefully we learned that lesson from last night."

Ian Begley, SNY.tv | Twitter | 

A couple weeks ago, Frank Ntilikina walked into David Fizdale's office, unannounced, and delivered a message: 

"He just said, 'Coach, I've been through a lot in my two years. I feel like I finally understand what the NBA is about. I know I haven't shown it yet, but I'm a dog, too,'" Fizdale said. "It was so cool to hear him say that. And (Thursday against Dallas) he showed that he is really a junkyard dog when it comes to competition."

Kristaps Porzingis returned to the Garden on Thursday night, was mercilessly booed, started slow and finished slow, and watched his new team lose to his old team in front of a raucous crowd.

Here's how the back pages in New York reacted, with two of them going full-Porzingis and another not...

Ian Begley, SNY.tv | Twitter | 

Marcus Morris thought the boos and 'KP sucks!' chants at Madison Square Garden on Thursday night affected Kristaps Porzingis' performance in the Knicks' win over the Mavs. 

"It was just at another level. It looked like he was a little rattled, too. So it kind of helped us," Morris said after hitting a game-sealing 3-pointer late in the fourth quarter of New York's win. 

Porzingis heard boos during warmups, player introductions and throughout the game in his first night back at Madison Square Garden since being traded to Dallas last January. 

Dennis Smith Jr. has been through his share of adversity this season. After an injury during training camp, a death in the family took the guard away from the team for two weeks.

On Thursday night, Smith Jr. shined for the Knicks as the team topped the Mavs 106-103 for their second win against Kristaps Porzingis this season. 

In just his second game back with the team, Smith Jr. scored 13 points on 5-of-12 shooting, and also had a team-high eight assists to go along with six rebounds in 29 minutes.

The Knicks (3-9) faced the Dallas Mavs (6-5) for the second time this season, winning again, this time 106-103 as former Knick Kristaps Porzingis made his return to Madison Square Garden >> Box Score

Here are Five Takeaway's from Thursday's game...

1) Marcus Morris led the way for the Knicks in scoring with 20 points, including a go-ahead three pointer with 13.4 seconds left in the game. He was 5-for-7 from three in the game, and had five rebounds in 34 minutes.

Kristaps Porzingis said last week that he expected 'a lot of noise' in his first return to Madison Square Garden.

And that was exactly the case during player intros, as the former Knicks' lottery pick heard plenty of boos from Knicks fans on Thursday night.

Kristaps Porzingis hears the boos as he's introduced at MSG: pic.twitter.com/EPxq9xrnQJ

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Kristaps Porzingis is making his return to Madison Square Garden on Thursday night for the first time since he was traded away last February. 

And Knicks fans will certainly let him hear it. 

We decided to hit the streets right outside The Garden to see just how those fans will welcome back the man they once cheered for...

Ian Begley, SNY.tv | Twitter | 

The Knicks are 1-3 at home and have lost their last two games at Madison Square Garden by a combined 42 points. David Fizdale thinks he knows at least one reason why the club has struggled at home. 

"Honestly I think they want to do so well for the fanbase I think they get tight. I really do," he said. "I've looked at all of the different things that have happened and I just feel like sometimes -- they really want to do well for the city. 

"With everything that's happened over the course of the last year, these guys want to play hard for the city, they want to win for the city. I just think sometimes when it starts to go the other way, they play not to lose instead of playing to win."

Ian Begley, SNY.tv | Twitter | 

Kristaps Porzingis isn't sure what to expect from the home crowd when he returns to Madison Square Garden on Thursday. But based on what he's seen from Knicks fans on Instagram and Twitter, he's bracing for a cold reception (which he's sure to get).

"Social media is mostly negative. But we'll see. It's going to be a lot of emotion," Porzingis said Wednesday after Mavs practice at the National Basketball Players Association offices in Manhattan.

Porzingis was back in New York City on Wednesday for the first time since he was traded -- at his request -- to Dallas last January.

Ian Begley, SNY.tv | Twitter | 

Knicks owner James Dolan spoke with team president Steve Mills and others in management on Monday, the day after Mills and GM Scott Perry held an impromptu press conference to express their frustration with the Knicks. 

Dolan speaks with Mills and other top decision-makers regularly, just as most NBA owners do, but this conversation seemed to carry a little more weight. Sources familiar with the conversation told SNY that management came away with the impression that their jobs would be secure as long as the Knicks 'showed progress' this season. 

The Knicks (2-9) faced the Bulls (4-7) for a second time in the early season, but weren't able to get the win this time around, as Chicago pulled away in the fourth quarter to take a 120-102 victory>> Box Score

Here are Five Takeaway's from Tuesday's game...

1) Just as they did in their first matchup with the Bulls, the Knicks came back from a double-digit first half deficit to make things interesting by the end of the third with things tied at 85 heading into the fourth quarter. But rookie PG Coby White just exploded in the fourth quarter, hitting seven 3-pointers to break the Bulls back out to a double-digit lead, as the Knicks just had no answer for them in the last 12 minutes of play. White set a Bulls franchise record for 3-pointers in a quarter with seven and scored a career-high 27 points.

Ian Begley, SNY.tv | Twitter | 

David Fizdale hasn't decided yet if Frank Ntilikina will start at point guard when Elfrid Payton is healthy. But it certainly sounds like Fizdale will keep Ntilikina in the starting lineup when Payton returns -- as long as he and the Knicks are playing well. 

Here's what Fizdale said when asked on Sunday if Payton, who has missed the last six games with a hamstring injury, will start at point guard when he returns to the lineup:  

"I'm going to base it on how things are going for us at the time when he gets back," Fizdale said. "If things are going well, we'll probably stay with what we're doing. If for some reason it's not, maybe we'll look at putting him back in there. But we won't make that decision until the time comes."

The Knicks have reshaped their roster over the last year and change, saying goodbye to some familiar faces (some beloved, some not) in the process. We'll take a look at how some of those former Knicks are performing with their new teams as the 2019-20 NBA season is underway...

Kristaps Porzingis, Dallas Mavericks

Porzingis saw his former team come to his new home grounds this past Thursday night in what turned out to be a thrilling matchup. Porzingis scored 28 points, grabbed five rebounds and blocked five shots, but fouled out late in the fourth quarter. Not having their big man out on the floor hurt the Mavs badly, as they fell to the Knicks 106-102 in what was a very close game throughout.

Porzingis missed Saturday's game against the Grizzlies, but the Mavericks were still able to pull out a win without him. Porzingis will make his long-awaited return to New York this Thursday to face the Knicks at Madison Square Garden. He's averaging 20.1 points, 8.3 rebounds and 2.6 blocks per game in his first season with Dallas.

From an individual standpoint, Kristaps Porzingis' first game against his former team was a success, but his strong effort wasn't enough, as the Knicks topped the Mavs 106-102 on Friday in Dallas.

Porzingis fouled out of the game with 30 seconds to play, but overall he showed exactly why the Knicks selected him with the fourth overall pick in the 2015 NBA Draft, scoring 28 points while adding nine rebounds and five blocks.

After the final whistle, Porzingis spoke with his former head coach David Fizdale near center court.

Ian Begley, SNY.tv | Twitter | 

DALLAS - Marcus Morris says he's going to spend some time guarding Kristaps Porzingis on Friday night. 

He's six inches shorter than the Mavs forward, but he plans to use his strength as an advantage. 

Dennis Smith Jr. will be inactive for the Knicks Friday night as they face Kristaps Porzingis and the Mavericks in Dallas.

Smith Jr, who was a part of the trade that sent Porzingis to Dallas, hasn't played for the Knicks since Oct. 26, after suffering the loss of a family member that same night. Smith Jr. returned to the team earlier this week after being absent to mourn with his family.

Between Smith Jr.'s absence and Elfrid Payton's hamstring injury, Frank Ntilikina has been starting at the point guard position for the Knicks. Although the lineups haven't been released for Friday's game, Ntilikina should be expected to start.

Ian Begley, SNY.tv | Twitter | 

DALLAS - David Fizdale was asked on Thursday about the Knicks' Kristaps Porzingis trade. He said it's too early to fully judge the transaction.

"Well, we don't know what Dennis Smith is going to be. He's 21 years old. At the end of the day we've still got two first-round picks out of that," Fizdale said a day before the Knicks face Porzingis and the Mavs in Dallas. "Who knows who that's going to be? We won't know exactly what comes out of that for a year or two."

The Knicks essentially received Smith Jr., cap space and two future first round picks from the Mavericks.

Kristaps Porzingis spoke on Thursday about his ugly end with the Knicks, calling it "part of the business," but also reflected on some mistakes he made after the fact and whether things could've been fixed before it all ended so messily.

"I don't know," Porzingis half-joked when asked if he wanted to clarify what happened on his way out. "I'll probably get in more trouble if I start talking about that stuff, you know? It is what it is. It wasn't ideal. But now I'm in a new place, I'm looking forward to the future. I don't want to go back too much and bring that stuff up. It is what it is. It happened, it's part of the business. It just ended up that way."

Repeatedly trying to deflect the questions back to the present (he's with the Mavericks, Friday is just another game, etc.), Porzingis said he didn't need any "extra juice" to excel against the Knicks.

Scott Thompson, SNY.tv | Twitter |

Every New York sports fan has their one favorite player or coach, past or present, that they absolutely love. They've given years of service to help your favorite team win, and they've done so while playing or managing at the highest level. 

But not every marriage has come to a happy ending in the Big Apple. 

While this city has had its fair share of legends on every team, there have also been some pretty bad breakups throughout each league. And, as agents of chaos in this case, we're here to remind you of some of the ugliest divorces that your favorite teams have seen in recent years. 

Scott Thompson, SNY.tv | Twitter |

Every New York sports fan has their one favorite player or coach, past or present, that they absolutely love. They've given years of service to help your favorite team win, and they've done so while playing or managing at the highest level. 

But not every marriage has come to a happy ending in the Big Apple. 

While this city has had its fair share of legends on every team, there have also been some pretty bad breakups throughout each league. And, as agents of chaos in this case, we're here to remind you of some of the ugliest divorces that your favorite teams have seen in recent years. 

Scott Thompson, SNY.tv | Twitter |

Every New York sports fan has their one favorite player or coach, past or present, that they absolutely love. They've given years of service to help your favorite team win, and they've done so while playing or managing at the highest level. 

But not every marriage has come to a happy ending in the Big Apple. 

While this city has had its fair share of legends on every team, there have also been some pretty bad breakups throughout each league. And, as agents of chaos in this case, we're here to remind you of some of the ugliest divorces that your favorite teams have seen in recent years. 

Scott Thompson, SNY.tv | Twitter |

Every New York sports fan has their one favorite player or coach, past or present, that they absolutely love. They've given years of service to help your favorite team win, and they've done so while playing or managing at the highest level. 

But not every marriage has come to a happy ending in the Big Apple. 

While this city has had its fair share of legends on every team, there have also been some pretty bad breakups throughout each league. And, as agents of chaos in this case, we're here to remind you of some of the ugliest divorces that your favorite teams have seen in recent years. 

Scott Thompson, SNY.tv | Twitter |

Every New York sports fan has their one favorite player or coach, past or present, that they absolutely love. They've given years of service to help your favorite team win, and they've done so while playing or managing at the highest level. 

But not every marriage has come to a happy ending in the Big Apple. 

While this city has had its fair share of legends on every team, there have also been some pretty bad breakups throughout each league. And, as agents of chaos in this case, we're here to remind you of some of the ugliest divorces that your favorite teams have seen in recent years. 

Scott Thompson, SNY.tv | Twitter |

Every New York sports fan has their one favorite player or coach, past or present, that they absolutely love. They've given years of service to help your favorite team win, and they've done so while playing or managing at the highest level. 

But not every marriage has come to a happy ending in the Big Apple. 

While this city has had its fair share of legends on every team, there have also been some pretty bad breakups throughout each league. And, as agents of chaos in this case, we're here to remind you of some of the ugliest divorces that your favorite teams have seen in recent years. 

Ian Begley, SNY.tv | Twitter | 

The Knicks are in Dallas to play Kristaps Porzingis and the Mavs on Friday for the first time since the trade. So there will be plenty written and said about the deal over the next couple of days. 

Below, let's try to separate fact from opinion: 

The Knicks fell to the Pistons, 122-102, on Wednesday night, and a familiar face awaits them next.

On Friday, the Knicks will be in Dallas for a meeting with the Mavericks, where they'll face off against former Knick Kristaps Porzingis.

The Latvian native had a quiet night in the Mavs' 107-106 win over the Magic on Wednesday, shooting just 4-of-14 from the floor. He finished the night with 10 points, eight rebounds, and one assist, as the Mavs improved to 5-2 on the season.

Ian Begley, SNY.tv | Twitter | 

Early in the third quarter of the Knicks' blowout loss to Sacramento, the home crowd grew restless. There were boos. Loud ones. There was even a brief chant for the team to fire head coach David Fizdale.

If you ask Marcus Morris, though, none of the blame for the Knicks' slow start rests with Fizdale.

"At the end of the day, Fiz is putting us in the best position to be successful," Morris said on Sunday night after scoring 28 points in the Knicks' loss. "I think it's us, we've got to execute the game plan better. He's been nothing but a great coach for us, he's been giving us what we need. Just today, we didn't hit many shots. They were the better team."

The Knicks have reshaped their roster over the last year and change, saying goodbye to some familiar faces (some beloved, some not) in the process. We'll take a look at how some of those former Knicks are performing with their new teams as the 2019-20 NBA season is underway...

Kristaps Porzingis, Dallas Mavericks

The No. 4 pick in the 2015 NBA Draft has seen his Mavericks career get off to a strong start. The Latvia native has averaged 22.3 points, 7.8 rebounds, and 3.3 assists in four games. His best game of the the early season came on Sunday against Portland, when Porzingis scored 32 points, grabbed nine rebounds, and added five assists.

He did have an off night his last time out though, scoring just 10 points on 4-of-14 shooting against the Nuggets on Tuesday.

Ian Begley, SNY.tv | Twitter | 

Three games into the season, David Fizdale already has a tough issue to sort out: how to get Dennis Smith Jr. going. 

The Knicks' backup point guard has missed 10 of 11 shots to start the season.  

"It seems like he's overthinking it. And he's pressing," Fizdale said after the Knicks' 24-point loss to Boston on Saturday. "It's funny how it works when you work on something so much, and it doesn't click for you right away how that can get to you. But he'll keep working at it and getting better at it."

Making his Madison Square Garden debut Saturday night, RJ Barrett put on a show and produced his best all-around game to date as a pro.

The No. 3 overall pick from this year's draft led the Knicks with 26 points, and added seven rebounds and three assists in 37 minutes of play.

"He's a stud, that's the only way I can put it. He's a stud," David Fizdale said.

The Knicks have reshaped their roster over the last year and change, saying goodbye to some familiar faces (some beloved, some not) in the process. We'll take a look at how some of those former Knicks are performing with their new teams as the 2019-20 NBA season is underway...

Kristaps Porzingis, Dallas Mavericks

The No. 4 pick in the 2015 NBA Draft made his debut for the Dallas Mavericks on Wednesday night after being traded from the Knicks on January 31, 2019 and missing all of the 2018-19 NBA season while recovering from an ACL injury. On July 12, 2019, Porzingis agreed to a five-year, $158 million max contract with Dallas.

Knicks touted first-round pick RJ Barrett could have asked for a better NBA debut down in San Antonio on Wednesday night. He dropped 21 points on 9-of-13 shooting with five rebounds, two assists, and two steals to go along with it. 

The Knicks may have lost the contest to the Spurs, but seeing Barrett come out and show his poised, confident nature he was drafted for along with his skill set was certainly a win for the organization. Barrett's point total alone also made him the second-youngest player behind LeBron James to collected 20 or more points in his rookie debut.

But how did it compare to other first rounders the Knicks have drafted in the past? Here are the most recent first-rounders from the Knicks, and how they fared in their much-anticipated debuts...

Ian Begley, SNY.tv | Twitter | 

We'll learn a lot about the Knicks starting point guard position this week (more on that below), but don't be surprised if you see RJ Barrett handling the ball at times for New York. 

"I've thrown him at that position a couple times already," David Fizdale said Tuesday. "He played some of that in college. I think it adds another layer to how dynamic he can be. Especially having somebody that big that can switch things do some different things defensively. So yeah, I'll sprinkle that in."

Fizdale has mentioned Barrett, Julius Randle and Marcus Morris as potential non-point guard ball-handlers in his offense.

Kristaps Porzingis made his Mavericks debut on Wednesday night, marking his first return to NBA action following a 20-month absence.

The Latvia native scored 18 points, grabbed seven rebounds, and was a team-leading +13 in 19 minutes on the night, as the Mavericks fell to the Pistons 124-117.

🎥: We may have lost the game, but we got the first look at Luka & KP on the floor together...and we're PUMPED! Who else?! Check out all the game highlights from our second preseason game. #MFFL pic.twitter.com/gu1rYsJJtf

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Ian Begley, SNY.tv | Twitter | 

David Fizdale plans to use several different lineups in the preseason. So we may see a different starting five when New York plays Washington on Friday at Madison Square Garden. 

But Fizdale gave some interesting insight when he answered a question about his starting lineup for Monday's preseason opener.

After the Knicks missed out on landing the big names during the NBA's offseason, the star player they traded away in January now says he's in the best shape of his life. 

Speaking to reporters at Mavericks Media Day, Kristaps Porzingis said he's as healthy as he's ever been on the court.

"I feel great physically," Porzingis said. "I feel 100 percent. I feel probably better than I ever have in my life."

Ian Begley, SNY.tv | Twitter |

Dennis Smith Jr. has several goals coming into his second season with the Knicks. One of them? To help R.J. Barrett win Rookie of the Year. 

"I'm treating that as one of my focal points just to help him win Rookie of the Year. And whatever I can do, I'm willing to do it," Smith Jr. said in an interview with Chris Henderson. "It's important for us and it's important for our team and it's important for our morale moving forward so I think it would be major if he won that."

The 2019-20 NBA regular season begins Oct. 23 for the Knicks against the San Antonio Spurs, but RJ Barrett might have his calendar circled for Nov. 8 when New York plays the Dallas Mavericks.

In a Monday AMA (Ask Me Anything) with Bleacher Report, the No. 3 overall pick by the Knicks in June's draft was asked whom he would want to posterize -- among all-time and current players -- if given the chance.

Barrett went with a rather recent and well-known figure for Knicks fan, name dropping former New York power forward Kristaps Porzingis, who spent three-plus years at Madison Square Garden.

There's some fallout between the Knicks and the Spurs over Marcus Morris' decision to renege on his agreement with San Antonio and sign with New York. 

The Athletic published a story quoting a GM who said the Spurs were "pissed" about Morris backing out of his verbal agreement with San Antonio to sign with the Knicks. 

It's understandable that the Spurs would be upset with Morris' decision to back out of the deal. It's also understandable if the Spurs were upset with the Knicks for giving Morris an alternative option. 

Ian Begley, SNY.tv | Twitter |

After striking out on Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving and (presumably) Kawhi Leonard, the Knicks essentially did what they said they were going to do in 'Plan B' of their free agency approach: signed players to team-friendly deals to maintain cap flexibility.

The contracts for Reggie Bullock (two years, $21 million), Bobby Portis (two years, $31 million), Elfrid Payton (two years, $16 million), Taj Gibson (two years, $20 million) and Wayne Ellington (two years, $16 million) all have team options for the second season. The Knicks' deal with Julius Randle (three years, $63 million) has a team option for the third season.

The anger over the club missing on Durant is warranted given the steps the club took to create max cap space. But the Knicks seemed to do well in their pivot to Plan B.

Ian Begley, SNY.tv | Twitter |

The Knicks have had so many low points over the last 20 years that it's hard to rank them. But what happened on Sunday is near the top of the list.

It would have been understandable if they missed out on Kevin Durant because he decided to re-sign with the Golden State Warriors, who could have offered a five-year, $221 million max contract.

But the Knicks lost Durant to the Brooklyn Nets, the supposed junior varsity in town that also landed Kyrie Irving.

Ian Begley, SNY.tv | Twitter |

The Brooklyn Nets have two of the best players in the NBA -- a gut punch to the New York Knicks.

Kevin Durant announced on Sunday via his sports business network "The Boardroom" that he will be playing with the Nets next season.

According to ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski, who first reported Durant's commitment, the two-time Finals MVP is expected to sign a four-year contract worth just below the max of $164 million. Durant is expected to be joined by his friend, Kyrie Irving, who reportedly will work quickly on reaching an agreement with the Nets.

Pelicans star Anthony Davis has requested a trade, informing the team he has no interest in re-signing. With news of Davis wanting out came reports that the Knicks have strong interest in trading for him. Here are the latest rumors...

June 12, 3:54 PM:

The Anthony Davis sweepstakes has already started, as ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski is hearing the Celtics and Lakers are already engaged in trade talks with the Pelicans.

Those two teams will likely be the Knicks' top competition for Davis' talents next season. Rich Paul, his agent, did mention that the Celtics would likely get him as a rental for one season.

For all the suffering the Knicks faithful has had to endure over the years, one place where New York has generally exceeded expectations is the NBA Draft.

Last year's second round pick, Mitchell Robinson, looks like the Knicks' best prospect. Taking Kristaps Porzingis with the fourth pick in 2015 was clearly the right move, despite how that relationship played out. 

However, the Knicks have also had their share of busts and blunders, moments the franchise can learn from as the calendar flips to June. New York has the third overall pick, its best shot at a future star since Patrick Ewing and arguably one of the most important selections in team history. Here are some lessons they can draw from past miscues to make the right decision this time around.

Knicks coach David Fizdale said last month that he'd like to see guard Dennis Smith Jr. improve his shooting and conditioning. And that's exactly what Smith Jr. plans to work on this summer.

"He's focused on shooting and conditioning, 1000 percent," Smith Jr.'s longtime trainer, Shawn Farmer, said in a phone interview Friday with SNY.

Smith Jr., who suffered a minor ankle injury recently, will work to make some changes to his shooting form this summer, both under the guidance of Knicks coaches and on his own...

Ex-Knicks coach Derek Fisher, who had a strong relationship with Kristaps Porzingis during their time together in New York, believes Porzingis will thrive with the Dallas Mavericks. 

"I think Kristaps has been able to move on. I think he's going to be happy in Dallas. He works for a passionate owner in Mark Cuban. Rick Carlisle is an amazing basketball coach. And they have kind of a culture there that's been established for a while… so I think Kris will be fine," Fisher, the current coach of the WNBA's Los Angeles Sparks, said in an interview with Sports Illustrated.

"I think the Knicks, even though the wins aren't coming, they're starting to lay the foundation and the groundwork for becoming successful again. And that's what we were trying to do during my time there. It doesn't always work out. You can second-guess it after the fact. But in some situations it's best for parties to move and separate and I think for Kristaps and for the Knicks it probably was best."  

Reports of superstar forward Kristaps Porzingis giving the Knicks an ultimatum were confirmed by team president Steve Mills on Wednesday.

Mills and GM Scott Perry were on hand for a fan forum series on Wednesday afternoon, and Mills acknowledged that Porzingis gave the Knicks an ultimatum as he announced he wanted to be traded, confirming earlier reports in the days after the trade.

"When he walked into our office -- my office and Scott was sitting there with me -- and point blank said to us, 'I don't want to be here, I'm not going to re-sign with the Knicks, and I'll give you seven days to try and trade me or I'm going back to Europe,'" Mills explained...

With the Knicks entering Tuesday night's NBA Draft lottery with a 14 percent chance of securing the No. 1 overall pick, the team already has plenty to occupy itself with before worrying about where other teams are selecting. 

They will, however, be keeping an eye on whether the Mavericks earn a top five pick. If Dallas -- which has the eighth-best lottery odds (six percent chance at the top selection) -- drops below fifth, the Knicks can pick up a pair of first round picks. 

The first would be an unprotected first-rounder in 2021, followed by a 2023 first round pick that is top 10 protected.