Dallas Mavericks: 5 most anticipated matchups of the 2021-2022 regular season

Dallas Mavericks most anticipated matchup of 2021-2022 season: 5. Knicks

The Mavs acquired Kristaps Porzingis from the Knicks back in 2019. The blockbuster deal immediately put the matchups between the two teams under a microscope. Dallas has won just one of the four meetings since the trade. There is added scrutiny on KP this season after his playoff struggles. Can new head coach Jason Kidd unlock the Unicorn?

It is not just Porzingis that is a former Knick. The Mavericks acquired Tim Hardaway Jr. and Trey Burke from New York in the 2019 deal. Dallas also signed Reggie Bullock away from the Knicks this offseason. The 30-year-old was a key piece for New York last season and is coming off arguably his best NBA season.

The Knicks returned to the playoffs in 2021 for the first time since 2013. They embraced head coach Tom Thibodeau’s defensive mentality and made a 20-win improvement from the 2019-2020 campaign. New York was knocked out by the Atlanta Hawks in the first round, but are a vastly improved team that added Kemba Walker and Evan Fournier this offseason.

Madison Square Garden will be rocking when the Dallas Mavericks visit this season. Knicks fans will come out and root hard against Kristaps Porzingis. The Mavs have three other players that will be looking to dominate their former. Expect it to be one of the best matchups of the year.