The Mavericks defeat the struggling Knicks 122-108 behind 39 points from Luka Doncic.

NEW YORK (AP) — The Dallas Mavericks defeated the New York Knicks 122-108 on Thursday night, despite the Knicks using just seven players in the second half due to injuries and trades. Luka Doncic led the Mavericks with 39 points, 11 assists, and eight rebounds.

After making two trades earlier on Thursday to acquire big men P.J. Washington and Daniel Gafford, the Mavericks won their third straight game with 19 points from former Knicks guard Tim Hardaway Jr. and 18 from Derrick Jones Jr. Kyrie Irving scored 16 points in the end.

The most beautiful pass Doncic made early in the game was a behind-the-back pass that went about 20 feet to Dwight Howell under the basket. Doncic scored 27 points in the second half.

The Knicks, who had won nine games in a row, have dropped two of their last three games despite Onte DiVincenzo’s 36 points. Josh Hart recorded his second career triple-double with a season-high 23 points, 12 assists, and 10 rebounds in the last five games.

Superstar Due to a sprained right ankle, Jalen Brunson was unable to play against his former team, joining All-Star Julius Randle, OG Anunoby, and Mitchell Robinson as injured Knicks starters. Anunoby underwent surgery to remove a loose bone fragment from his right elbow, and the Knicks announced prior to the game that he would be evaluated in three weeks.

They now have just eight players available after sending four players to the Detroit Pistons earlier on Thursday in exchange for Alec Burks and Bojan Bogdanovic. That was more than enough, according to coach Tom Thibodeau, but it left New York down to seven points after Isaiah Hartenstein, who has filled in admirably for Robinson at center, missed the second half due to a sore left Achilles tendon.