After defeating the Wizards, the Knicks finally returned to New York and their home court.
Then, on November 3, they would once again welcome a heavyweight opponent.
Tonight, the team challenging them would be the Dallas Mavericks led by Chen's old acquaintance, Luka Doncic.
After adding a top-tier guard like Irving this summer, the Mavericks had finally assembled a roster strong enough to be called highly competitive—a team qualified to say they were making a run at the championship.
Through the first four games of the season, they had already posted an impressive 3-1 record.
Although they had unfortunately fallen in their matchup against the Thunder Team, the Mavericks were clearly still very strong.
Given time to build chemistry, they might not be incapable of making some noise in this year's playoffs.
Soon, the clock struck seven in the evening.
Madison Square Garden.
Before tonight's big game began.
As usual, Chen came to center court and had a good chat with Doncic and Irving, his two old friends who were about to face him in battle.
From a friend's perspective, it was worth being happy about: these two elite perimeter players seemed to get along fairly well in private.
That should count as a good thing for themselves and for the Mavericks as a team.
Soon after, the game officially began.
The starters from both sides came to center court and took their positions.
Knicks starters: Rose, Strus, Chen Xi, Joe, Horford
Mavericks starters: Irving, Doncic, Little Derrick Jones, Finney Smith, Gobert
In the fourth game of the new season, the Knicks' coaching staff modified their starting lineup for the third time.
Tonight, Thibodeau chose a smaller but fully loaded shooting lineup as his starters.
Judging from the lineup alone, it seemed he intended to use a five-out approach