Backed by his potent floater game, Marshall having a career season

NEW YORK — Over his last 12 games, Naji Marshall has torched NBA defenses so often that it’s as if there’s no one trying to really stop him.

During that stretch of games, the Dallas Mavericks’ forward is averaging 23.5 points and 7.8 rebounds while shooting a robust 54.1 percent from the field. And Marshall poured in at least 20 points in nine of those 12 games, including racking up a pair of 30-point outings.

One of Marshall’s 30-point games occurred during Monday’s 128-113 loss to the New York Knicks. That includes the five-year veteran scoring a career-high 38 points on 17-of-25 shooting.

Marshall has particularly been annihilating defenses by slithering through the lane and tossing up a floater. It has proven to be his unstoppable go-to move.

“He’s got a monstrous floater,” guard Spencer Dinwiddie said. “He can kind of get in that lane and get his floater off against anybody, especially if we go to these small lineups.

“Him being able to attack the (centers), he’s been absolutely eviscerating (centers). It’s been dope to see his game grow and I know he’s happy to be here. He had a phenomenal game.”

Happily signed to a three-year, $27 million free agent contract last summer, Marshall said his floater is simply “part of my game. I feel good doing it. I get to my spot rising. I just like the change of it.”

From an individual standpoint, Marshall has never had the luxury of enjoying a season like this one. After spending his first four seasons with the New Orleans Pelicans, Marshall has produced career numbers this season in scoring (13.5), rebounding (4.9), assists (2.9), steals (1.1), field goal accuracy (50.9 percent), minutes played (27.1) and games started (25).

All of that set the table for Tuesday’s game when Marshall tallied 28 first-half points on 13-of-15 shots.

“Naji was great,” coach Jason Kidd said. “He kept us in there in the first half, and he was playing at a high level.”

Here are the three takeaways from the 15-point loss to the Knicks.

WILLIAMS KEEPS ON SHINING: Brandon Williams continues to flourish in the Mavs’ system while showing that he too has the skills to be a prime-time player. Williams finished Tuesday’s game with 22 points in only 28 minutes on 7-of-11 shots. He also was one of the main reasons the Mavs’ bench outscored their Knick counterparts, 47-28.

THE DREADED THIRD QUARTER: The game was knotted at 68 apiece at the half. Then the Knicks opened the second half on a 17-5 run and never looked back. The Knicks outscored the Mavs in the decisive third quarter, 30-16. During that quarter the Mavs were just 4-of-18 from the field, while the Knicks converted 11 of their 21 shot attempts.

DOUBLING THE TRIPLE-DOUBLES: The Knicks finished the game with not one, but two players with triple-doubles. Karl-Anthony Towns wound up with 26 points, 12 rebounds and 11 assists. Not to be out-done, Josh Hart collected 16 points, 12 rebounds and 11 assists. Towns and Hart became the first pair of teammates to register triple-doubles in the same game in Knicks history.

X: @DwainPrice