PREVIEW
MAVERICKS (19-16) AT OKLAHOMA CITY THUNDER (15-21)
Time: 8 p.m.
Place: Chesapeake Energy Arena
TV: FSSW
Radio: ESPN 103.3 FM; Univision 1270 AM (Spanish)
About the Mavericks: There was no let down from the Mavs coming out of the All-Star break. Behind 28 points and a season-high 14 rebounds from Kristaps Porzingis, the Mavs used a second-half surge to blow past the San Antonio Spurs, 115-104, on Wednesday night. It was the 10th victory in their last 12 games for the Mavs. “I feel like I’m getting there,” Porzingis said. “It’s non-stop work. I’m feeling better with each day and each game.”. .This is the second night of a back-to-back for the Mavs, who are 2-4 on the last leg of a back-to-back. . .Dallas is seated eighth in the Western Conference and are mere percentage points behind the seventh-seated Spurs – .543 percent to .545 percent. . .The Mavs are also just two games in the loss column behind the Los Angeles Clippers, who are 24-14 and are currently the No. 4 seed out West. . .Luka Doncic picked up his eighth triple-double of the season on Wednesday when he collected 22 points, 12 rebounds and 12 assists against the Spurs. . .The Mavs just played, and beat, the Oklahoma City Thunder, 87-78, on March 3 in their final game before the All-Star break. Doncic sat out that contest with lower back tightness, and six Mavs players wound up grabbing at least six rebounds in that game. Porzingis led the way with 19 points and 13 rebounds, and Tim Hardaway Jr. added 19 points and six boards.
About the Thunder: This is the first game after the All-Star break for the Thunder. In its final game before the All-Star break, Oklahoma City went into San Antonio and upended the Spurs, 107-102. That game occurred on the second end of a back-to-back for the Thunder and came one night after they absorbed a nine-point loss in Dallas. . .Shai Gilgeous-Alexander led the Thunder against the Spurs with 33 points on 11-of-19 shooting, and he also dispensed eight assists. . .Gilgeous-Alexander leads the Thunder with 23.2 points, 5.1 rebounds and 6.2 assists per game, Luguentz Dort is averaging 12.3 ppg, Hamidou Diallo averages 11.9 ppg and 5.2 rpg, and Darius Bazley is averaging 11.9 ppg and 7.5 rpg. . .Once a beast at home, OKC is just 6-11 on their home court this season. . .The Thunder is scoring at a 105.9 points per game clip and allowing 111.4 points per contest. Their -5.5 point differential is the fifth lowest in the entire NBA. . . Oklahoma City has won three of its past five games. The Thunder also beat the Spurs at OKC, 102-99, on Feb. 24 as Gilgeous-Alexander poured in a career-high 42 points on 13-of-20 shots, 6-of-11 buckets from 3-point range. In addition, he was 10-of-11 from the free throw line. Dort won that game with a dead-eye three-pointer at the buzzer. . .The Thunder also defeated Atlanta, 118-109, on Feb. 26, behind 24 points from Gilgeous-Alexander and 18 points and 12 boards from Bazley.
Twitter: @DwainPrice
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