Mavs face season’s first test against triple-double machine
Mavericks at Thunder
7 p.m. Thursday, Chesapeake Energy Arena, Oklahoma City
TV: TNT
Radio: ESPN/103.3 FM; KFLC/1270 AM (Spanish)
Records: Mavericks 15-29; Thunder 26-19
About the Thunder: Oklahoma City has won five of its last eight games, including a huge 97-95 win in Utah on Monday when Russell Westbrook drilled a game-winning jumper with 1.4 seconds remaining. Westbrook had 38 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists while registering his NBA-high 22nd triple-double of the season. ... Westbrook is on a history-making pace. He leads the league in scoring (30.8), is second in assists (10.4) and 11th in rebounding (10.6). ... Center Steven Adams missed two games due to a concussion, but returned Monday to contribute nine points, six rebounds and four blocks against the Jazz.
About the Mavericks: This starts a very difficult three-game stretch. They have a back-to-back Sunday in San Antonio and against the world champion Cleveland Cavaliers on Monday in Dallas. ... The Mavs are 6-14 in their last 20 games against the Knicks. ... This is the first of three meetings this season with the Thunder. Dirk Nowitzki averaged a team-high 19.3 points in three games against OKC last season. ... The Mavs again will be without guard Wesley Matthews, who also sat out Wednesday’s game against the New York Knicks with a strained right hip suffered in Sunday’s 122-73 win over the Los Angeles Lakers.
This story was originally published January 25, 2017 at 9:33 PM with the headline "Mavs face season’s first test against triple-double machine."