Dennis Smith Jr. really struggled against the Chicago Bulls in his return to the New York Knicks' lineup after missing a bulk of the start of the season due to the death of his stepmother. However, Smith flipped the script with a palpable impact during a 106-103 win over his former team, the Dallas Mavericks, on Thursday, which made the Knicks sweep the Kristaps Porzingis bowl in swift fashion.

Knicks head coach David Fizdale and forward Julius Randle praised Smith's effort, as he contributed 13 points, six rebounds, and eight assists in 30 minutes — all after surviving a family tragedy.

Fizdale was especially proud:

“Game ball,” said Fizdale, according to Greg Joyce of the New York Post. “I was so proud of him. He’s been through more than any of us can imagine.”

While Marcus Morris hit the game-winning shot late in the fourth quarter and Randle snatched yet another double-double with 17 points and 10 rebounds, the credit was given to the third-year point guard:

“He was the MVP of the game,” said Randle. “That’s the Dennis we need every game.”

The Knicks have gone with a makeshift system at point guard, swapping between a now-injured Elfrid Payton, Frank Ntilikina, and at times rookie RJ Barrett as the initiator. If Smith can play well, he could potentially get back into the starting spot he occupied last season after getting booed by his home fans earlier this season.