{"id":550607,"date":"2026-01-21T07:59:18","date_gmt":"2026-01-21T07:59:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/550607\/"},"modified":"2026-01-21T07:59:18","modified_gmt":"2026-01-21T07:59:18","slug":"max-christies-eight-three-night-at-madison-square-garden-signals-elite-potential-for-dallas-mavericks","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/550607\/","title":{"rendered":"Max Christie\u2019s Eight-Three Night At Madison Square Garden Signals Elite Potential For Dallas Mavericks"},"content":{"rendered":"

The first boos inside Madison Square Garden came earlier than anyone expected. Just 4 minutes and 50 seconds into the second quarter, Cooper Flagg<\/a> pushed the ball ahead in transition and finished at the rim, stretching the Dallas Mavericks\u2019 lead to 18. The Knicks immediately called timeout, but the mood in the building had already shifted. Moments later, Max Christie<\/a> rose again \u2014 unbothered, balanced \u2014 and drilled his sixth three-pointer of the first half.<\/p>\n

The crowd reacted instantly. Not with awe, but frustration.<\/p>\n

While the night had been billed around Flagg\u2019s return and his first NBA appearance at Madison Square Garden, it was Christie who seized control of the stage. With every relocation, every quick-trigger release, and every shot taken without hesitation, Christie reshaped the game and powered Dallas to a 114\u201397 win that never felt as close as the final score suggested.<\/p>\n

Max Christie\u2019s Shooting Night Never Felt Forced<\/p>\n

Christie finished with 26 points and six rebounds, knocking down a career-high eight three-pointers on 10 attempts. Eight of his nine made field goals came from beyond the arc, each one arriving within the rhythm of Dallas\u2019 offense rather than through isolation or forced hunting.<\/p>\n

That balance was not accidental, and it wasn\u2019t new.<\/p>\n

Nearly half of Christie\u2019s shot profile this season has come as catch-and-shoot opportunities, an area where he entered the night shooting 48.4% from the field with a 72.6% effective field goal percentage. From three-point range on those looks, he has converted 48.4%, averaging 1.9 makes on 4.0 attempts per game. Madison Square Garden followed that same script.<\/p>\n

\u201cMy teammates did a great job getting me open looks,\u201d Christie said. \u201cThey were attacking the paint, and I was able to get loose for a couple of threes. Even without the ball, I was just trying to find my spots, find my shots, and be shot-aggressive. It felt good to get 10 threes up, and obviously making eight of them is great too.\u201d<\/p>\n

That aggressiveness showed up immediately. Christie sprinted into early shot windows before New York could set its coverage, punished late closeouts, and kept moving even after releasing the ball. When the Knicks tried to top-lock him, he slipped into space. When they flew at him, he stayed poised.<\/p>\n

More than 60.0% of Christie\u2019s attempts this season have come within two seconds of the catch, a window where he is shooting 51.4% overall and 47.7% from three. Six of his eight made threes Monday came with zero dribbles, an area where he has been especially efficient \u2014 shooting 50.8% from the field with a 72.1% effective field goal percentage.<\/p>\n

\u201cGetting my three-point attempts up,\u201d Christie said. \u201cTen tonight was great. Regardless of making eight, I think ten attempts is a good mark for me right now. Continuing to hunt those shots. I\u2019m shooting them pretty well, and if I can continue to get more up, that helps the team. My gravity matters too \u2014 defenses close out harder, don\u2019t help off as much, and that gives my teammates opportunities.\u201d<\/p>\n

The Knicks felt that gravity without Christie ever having to force the issue. On closeouts classified as \u201copen\u201d \u2014 between four and six feet \u2014 Christie has shot 50.0% from the field and 47.0% from three this season. Even when defenders arrived late and scrambled from six feet or more, he entered the night converting 44.6% from three.<\/p>\n

By halftime, Christie had already hit six threes. The Knicks adjusted after the break, denying him clean looks and forcing the ball out of his hands, but the damage had already been done.<\/p>\n

Christie\u2019s eighth three \u2014 which came in the third quarter \u2014 tied the franchise record for most three-pointers by a Maverick at Madison Square Garden. He didn\u2019t know it at the time.<\/p>\n

\u201cNo, I had no idea,\u201d Christie said. \u201cI\u2019ll get more opportunities at that. I\u2019m not worried about it.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019re Unconscious\u201d: Max Christie on Living in the Flow<\/p>\n

When Christie is shooting like this, he says the game slows \u2014 even as everything around him speeds up.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s kind of out-of-body,\u201d Christie said. \u201cYou\u2019re unconscious. You don\u2019t really feel what\u2019s going on around you. You\u2019re just in a flow state. Your body takes over, and it\u2019s a great feeling, and it\u2019s a great feeling. Definitely something I\u2019ll be chasing again.\u201d<\/p>\n

That feeling has become increasingly familiar \u2014 and increasingly supported by production.<\/p>\n

Over his last nine games, Christie has averaged 18.0 points, 3.8 rebounds, and 2.8 assists, while shooting 53.3% from the field and 46.9% from three-point range. Those numbers mirror what Dallas has felt internally, not just statistically.<\/p>\n

\u201cFor me, it\u2019s been mental \u2014 continuing to be shot-aggressive and confident in my shot,\u201d Christie said. \u201cObviously, putting in the work every day helps, but for the most part it\u2019s about being aggressive mentally, continuing to look for my shot, and having confidence in myself.\u201d<\/p>\n

That confidence has extended beyond pure catch-and-shoot opportunities. Entering the night, Christie was tied for 16th among 159 players with at least 50 dribble-jumper possessions, producing 1.125 points per possession on those looks \u2014 a reflection of his growing comfort attacking closeouts rather than simply avoiding them.<\/p>\n

Flagg saw the shift in real time.<\/p>\n

\u201cYeah, it was incredible,\u201d Flagg said. \u201cMax has been a hot player for us all year, and honestly, I think there have been times where he\u2019s passed up some shots and hasn\u2019t been as aggressive as we need him to be. I thought he did a great job tonight just being ready, being assertive, and you see what happens.\u201d<\/p>\n

Dallas Mavericks\u2019 Pace as the Through Line<\/p>\n

Christie repeatedly pointed to one concept when asked why Dallas\u2019 offense has looked different over the past week.<\/p>\n

\u201cPace. Playing with pace, playing for each other. Playing with speed, especially in transition, has really helped us,\u201d Christie said. \u201cWe\u2019re defending at a high level, but our ability to catch the ball in transition and continue to play fast has given us open looks, open threes, and opportunities to get to the free-throw line. It all starts with how fast we\u2019re playing.\u201d<\/p>\n

That speed showed up early and often. On shots taken early in the shot clock \u2014 between 22 and 18 seconds \u2014 Christie entered the night shooting 60.6% from the field and 53.8% from three, with a 76.5% effective field goal percentage. Those attempts weren\u2019t rushed; they were decisive.<\/p>\n

That speed defined the night. Dallas never allowed New York to dictate tempo, racing into early offense and generating clean looks before the defense could load up.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019re defending at a high level,\u201d Christie said, \u201cbut our ability to catch the ball in transition and continue to play fast has given us open looks, open threes, and opportunities to get to the free-throw line. It all starts with how fast we\u2019re playing.\u201d<\/p>\n

Jason Kidd<\/a> echoed that sentiment afterward, emphasizing how connected the group has become despite rotation changes.<\/p>\n

\u201cPace. Maybe a little continuity\u2026 This group has been able to play together for a little bit,\u201d Kidd said. \u201cUnderstanding that everyone\u2019s touching the ball \u2014 there\u2019s no one complaining about shots. Guys are just playing basketball and playing for each other. You can see that on both ends, offensively and defensively.\u201d<\/p>\n

Max Christie is Learning From a Hall of Fame Blueprint<\/p>\n

As Christie\u2019s role has expanded, so has the attention he draws from defenses. He\u2019s noticed the difference.<\/p>\n

\u201cAdapting to defenses is huge in this league. As you shoot it better, teams play you differently.\u201d Christie said. \u201cHotter closeouts, more attention \u2014 being able to adapt, use shot fakes, play quick, and play in 0.5 seconds is important.\u201d<\/p>\n

Rather than rushing shots, he\u2019s added counters \u2014 shot fakes, quick reads, one-dribble pull-ups \u2014 many of which Christie credits to daily exposure to Klay Thompson<\/a>, one of the game\u2019s greatest shooters.<\/p>\n

\u201cKlay\u2019s such a positive guy and a great presence in the locker room. He\u2019s a Hall of Famer \u2014 arguably the best shooter ever,\u201d Christie said. \u201cIt\u2019s a blessing to be around him, to soak up knowledge, observe him, feel his spirit. He\u2019s rubbing off on me, and I can definitely give him some credit for how I\u2019ve been shooting.\u201d<\/p>\n

Watching Thompson handle aggressive closeouts has helped Christie stay calm.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s about reading the closeout defender. When you\u2019re shooting at this level, you\u2019re not always going to get easy catch-and-shoot looks,\u201d Christie said. \u201cBeing able to get guys up in the air and create space is important. Klay\u2019s one of the best ever at that, so watching how he does it and adding that to my game was pretty cool. Just continuing to read defenders and stay shot-aggressive.<\/p>\n

Dallas Mavericks\u2019 Defense Kept the Door Shut<\/p>\n

While Christie\u2019s shooting bent the game early, Dallas\u2019 defense ensured it never swung back. The Knicks finished with one of their lowest scoring outputs of the season, never fully establishing offensive rhythm and rarely finding clean looks once the Mavericks built separation.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt was probably a little uncharacteristic for them, but our defense was solid,\u201d Christie said. \u201cWe forced them into tough shots. Anytime you can hold a team under 100 points in the NBA, that\u2019s impressive. They missed a few, but we can take some credit for that. They\u2019re a great team \u2014 probably not their best night \u2014 but for us, that\u2019s a good benchmark.\u201d<\/p>\n

From the opening quarter on, Dallas made New York work deep into possessions. Ball pressure at the point of attack slowed entry actions, while help defenders stayed home on shooters rather than overcommitting. The Knicks rarely found the downhill lanes or paint touches that typically stabilize their offense.<\/p>\n

Dallas consistently limited New York to one shot, a point of emphasis that allowed its guards and wings to leak out early and ignite the transition attack that defined the night. Stops quickly became opportunities, with rebounds turned into early offense before the Knicks could organize their coverage.<\/p>\n

Dallas turned stops into rebounds, rebounds into transition, and transition into the very pace that fueled Christie\u2019s shooting windows.<\/p>\n

\u201cI think it was team defense,\u201d Flagg said. \u201cWe know who their guys are, who they want to go to. There were a lot of different guys stepping up and making plays. I thought we covered for each other really well tonight and played really good team defense.\u201d<\/p>\n

That connectivity allowed Dallas to stay aggressive without losing structure. When New York attempted to counter with size or mismatches, the Mavericks adjusted rather than settling into a single look.<\/p>\n

Kidd pointed to rebounding and versatility as the stabilizing forces that kept the game from turning after New York\u2019s early runs.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe just tried to give them different looks. We got lucky tonight \u2014 they missed some shots they normally make,\u201d Kidd said. \u201cBut again, rebounding the ball was big. If you give that group second and third opportunities, they\u2019re going to make you pay.\u201d<\/p>\n

Those adjustments extended to personnel and matchups.<\/p>\n

\u201cI thought Dwight and Moussa did a really good job on KAT,\u201d Kidd said. \u201cWe also went small on him and started Naji on him. Just trying to give different looks.\u201d<\/p>\n

By rotating coverages, mixing size, and staying active in passing lanes, Dallas kept New York guessing rather than comfortable.<\/p>\n

\u201cI thought our activity on the defensive end was really good,\u201d Kidd said. \u201cWe came up with deflections and some steals.\u201d<\/p>\n

The result was a defensive performance that didn\u2019t just complement Christie\u2019s shooting \u2014 it protected it, ensuring the early momentum never slipped and Madison Square Garden never found its footing again.<\/p>\n

Max Christie Owned the Moment at the Mecca<\/p>\n

Christie has played at Madison Square Garden before. Nights like this, though, linger.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s great. It\u2019s the mecca of basketball \u2014 arguably the best arena in the world,\u201d Christie said. \u201cEverybody loves playing here. It felt good to have a game like that in such a special place, but most importantly, it felt good to get the win. I always look forward to playing here.\u201d<\/p>\n

As his numbers climb and his confidence grows, conversations naturally follow \u2014 including All-Star Weekend possibilities.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019d be super cool,\u201d Christie said of the three-point contest. \u201cA dream come true. I wouldn\u2019t turn that down at all. If I get the nod, that\u2019d be amazing. If not, I\u2019m still grateful for the season I\u2019m having so far.\u201d<\/p>\n

On a night when Madison Square Garden expected someone else to take center stage, Max Christie didn\u2019t wait for permission. He took the floor, trusted his work, and let the shots \u2014 and the crowd\u2019s reaction \u2014 tell the story.<\/p>\n

Latest Dallas Mavericks News & NBA Trade Rumors<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"The first boos inside Madison Square Garden came earlier than anyone expected. Just 4 minutes and 50 seconds…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":550608,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3793],"tags":[7,225,686,149,4057,3716,498,1634,166,7139,6,3101,191],"class_list":{"0":"post-550607","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-dallas-mavericks","8":"tag-basketball","9":"tag-cooper-flagg","10":"tag-dallas","11":"tag-dallas-mavericks","12":"tag-dallasmavericks","13":"tag-jason-kidd","14":"tag-klay-thompson","15":"tag-madison-square-garden","16":"tag-mavericks","17":"tag-max-christie","18":"tag-nba","19":"tag-nba-news","20":"tag-new-york-knicks"},"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"https:\/\/channels.im\/@nba\/115932035048855217","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/550607","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=550607"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/550607\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/550608"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=550607"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=550607"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=550607"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}