DENVER NUGGETS (9-4) at MAVERICKS (8-4)
Time: 7 p.m.
Place: American Airlines Center, Dallas.
TV: Bally Sports Southwest.
Radio: The Eagle 97.1 FM; Univision Zona MX 99.1 FM (Spanish)
About the Mavericks: They will be looking to avenge the 106-75 smashing they absorbed in Denver last month when they visited the Nuggets on the second night of a back-to-back. In that game, the Mavericks were outscored 33-12 in the third quarter, when they made just 3-of-16 shots. “It wasn’t our best showing,” said Jalen Brunson. “We just got to find a way to stay connected. We’re rested now. It’s another opportunity for us to show what kind of team we have.” . . . They are coming off perhaps their most complete game of the season, a 123-109 victory at San Antonio in which Luka Dončić had his first triple-double of the season with 32 points, 15 assists and 12 rebounds . . . Protecting the home floor has been a priority this season and so far they are 5-1 at AAC . . . After this, the Mavericks hit the road for four games in seven days, playing twice at Phoenix and twice at the Los Angeles Clippers . . . Kristaps Porzingis has been sharp since returning from a five-game absence with a back issue. He’s averaged 21.8 points and 8.5 rebounds in the past four outings and had a season-best 32 Friday at San Antonio . . . Tim Hardaway Jr. had an off shooting night against the Spurs, but he’s still hit more than 37 percent of his 3-pointers and is on pace for 229 triples this season. That would be his third consecutive season with more than 200 treys.
About the Nuggets: They survived the one-game suspension to Nikola Jokic just fine last week, edging Indiana without their MVP. Then he returned to post a triple-double (22 points, 19 rebounds, 10 assists) in a blowout win against Atlanta. Here’s what Jason Kidd had to say about Jokic: “He’s our MVP, so it’s hard. He understands how to play the game at a high level. You try to take away a little of everything, but he puts so much pressure because he knows how to pass at a very high level. He can shoot the three, he can put you in the post. There hasn’t been anything he hasn’t seen. So you just try to make it tough on him and make him work on the defensive end.” . . . Jokic continued to dominate in the Nuggets’ 124-95 victory over Portland on Sunday night in Denver. The center had 28 points, nine rebounds and nine assists and probably would have notched another triple-double had the game not been a blowout, which allowed Jokic to sit the last quarter. That should help as the Nuggets will be on the second night of a back-to-back against the Mavericks . . . Sunday’s game was the end of a five-game home stand on which the Nuggets went 5-0 . . . They have been average on the road (2-3) . . . Not only are the Nuggets on a five-game winning streak, they also are on a shooting roll. They hit 19-of-40 3-pointers on Sunday . . . And the Nuggets figure to get better when high-scoring Jamal Murray (knee) and Michael Porter Jr. (back) return from injury, which isn’t expected anytime soon for either.
Twitter: @ESefko
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