There is bound to be some competitive tension in the air tomorrow night, as the Knickerbockers face off against the Dallas Mavericks for the first time since their offseason transaction. In a six-man deal, the Knicks received guards Jose Calderon and Shane Larkin and center Samuel Dalembert, in exchange for guard Raymond Felton and former Defensive Player of the Year, Tyson Chandler.

Chandler, who recently told ESPN he sometimes felt like he was the scapegoat for many of the Knicks woes last season, is currently averaging 10.3 points and 10.3 rebounds and has regained his reputation as a positive leader in the locker room. President Phil Jackson, who initiated the trade out of a need for chemistry changes, sparked the so-called controversy. However, Chandler didn’t seem to mind returning home, where he won his first and only championship ring three years ago. Playing next to the likes of Dirk Nowitzki, Monta Ellis, and newly acquired Chandler Parsons, Tyson Chandler has been a significant contributor to the Mavericks 10-5 record.

Raymond Felton, on the other hand, who has been accustomed to playing in the starting lineup in his career, has not been much help to the Mavericks thus far. Felton missed the opening of the season due to a high ankle injury, but upon his recovery, he had to serve a four-game suspension for weapon charges brought against him last season. Monday night’s game against the Pacers was the first night he was eligible to play, and yet he remained inactive due to a stacked backcourt. Whether or not Felton will make his season debut against the Knicks has yet to be determined.

The Knicks, who have struggled tremendously so far this season, fell to 4-11 this past Monday in a tough loss to the Dwight Howard-less Houston Rockets. Surprisingly, the Knicks held their own against this top team in the West, giving them a bit of a scare in the fourth quarter. Despite Carmelo Anthony’s absence during the second half due to back spasms, the Knicks managed to pull ahead in the fourth quarter, gaining a 78-72 lead. However, in the end, James Harden’s superior scoring skills proved to be too much for the Knicks to handle.

The Knicks are currently 1-7 on the road; their only victory came against the Cleveland Cavaliers during the much anticipated homecoming of LeBron James. Since then, very little has gone their way and tomorrow night, they face yet another challenge. Though the Mavericks are coming off a two-game losing streak, consisting of a loss to the Houston Rockets and an embarrassing defeat at the hands of a depleted Indiana Pacers team, they obviously have the upper hand. With Carmelo Anthony improbable to play, the Knicks have to stave off an offensively loaded Mavericks team; they currently lead the league, averaging 109.3 points per game.

With Jose Calderon back in the starting lineup, the hope is that the veteran can get the offense going, creating some productive opportunities for his teammates, as well as exhibiting that exceptional  marksmanship from three-point range. Granted, he is coming off of an injury and time is necessary for him to return to that level of comfortableness. Amar’e Stoudemire has been a bright spot for the Knicks as well, as he remains the Knicks second best scorer, averaging 11.7 points per game. If J.R. Smith and Iman Shumpert can significantly contribute, the Knicks could potentially deliver the Mavericks’ third straight loss this season.

Then again, they could not.                          

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