Mavericks vs. Knicks: J.R. Smith and Baron Davis to Play, Carmelo Still Out
The New York Knicks are finally getting their stars back in the lineup, and I donโt mean Carmelo Anthony.
Veteran point guard Baron Davis and new signee J.R. Smith will both dress and presumably make their Knicks debuts tonight against the Dallas Mavericks, according to the New York Knicks' official Twitter feed.
"D'Antoni says @carmeloanthony is out, might play tomorrow. Shump will start, @TheRealJRSmith and @Baron_Davis will both dress. #Knicks
"
While Jeremy Lin has been running the backcourt efficiently in the absence of Anthony and Davis, the veteran presence and bench depth that these returns open up is great news for all parties involved.
Not only will Davis and Smith add the scoring that has been missing throughout this season, but fewer minutes will allow Lin to make a more concerted effort to not turn the ball over as much.
The transition will start with Davis and how well he can actually run head coach Mike DโAntoniโs offense. If the veteran picks it up fast and play it well, Lin will see far less game time than many had anticipated.
In even bigger news, the Knicks will finally have the long-rumored Smith on the floor. While Iman Shumpert is a solid shooting guard, he is still learning the NBA game and canโt add the offensive spark that Smith can.
Shumpert is a better defender already than Smith, but in a system that doesnโt play much defense, Smith will be seeing as much playing time as he can handle.
They will need to figure it out on the fly as they face defending champions and Western Conference juggernauts, the Dallas Mavericks. The hope is that the additions of Davis and Smith will be enough to get the Knicks' playoff swagger back in place by the time Anthony gets back.
There is a chance New York could still be title contenders. We canโt write them off just yet.
Check back for more on the National Basketball Association as it comes, and check out Bleacher Reportโs NBA Page to get your fill of all things basketball.
.jpg?w=600 "Tate Shocked To Go No. 4 ๐ฎ")
