Mavericks can’t afford another road bump against lowly Brooklyn Nets

Mavericks at Nets

11 a.m. Sunday, Barclays Center, Brooklyn, N.Y.

TV: FSSW

Radio: ESPN/103.3 FM; KFLC/1270 AM (Spanish)

Records: Mavericks 29-39, Nets 13-55

About the Mavs: With their playoff hopes on life support, the Mavs didn’t do themselves any favors Friday when they were hammered by the Philadelphia 76ers, 116-74. It was the worst loss of the season for the Mavs, who are four games behind Denver for the eighth and final playoff spot in the Western Conference. ... Dirk Nowitzki described the loss to the Sixers as “pretty embarrassing.” In that game, the Mavs shot 34.5 percent from the field, missed 18 of 23 shots from 3-point land, and were outrebounded 55-34. ... The Mavs have lost three of their past four games and are 1-2 on this four-game road trip which ends with Sunday’s contest against the Nets. ... The Mavs start a four-game home stand Tuesday against the Golden State Warriors.

About the Nets: Brooklyn comes off Friday’s disappointing 98-95 loss to the Boston Celtics. Center Brook Lopez led the Nets with 23 points. ... The night before losing to the Celtics, the Nets traveled across town and beat the New York Knicks, 121-110. Lopez scored 24 points in that game and the Nets outrebounded the Knicks 50-34. ... The Nets own the worst record in the NBA and are 8-26 at home. ... The Nets lost to the Mavs 105-96 in Dallas on March 10. In that game, Isaiah Whitehead came off the bench to score 24 points in 25 minutes on 8-of-12 shooting for the Nets. ... Lopez averages 20.6 points and 5.1 rebounds, Bojan Bogdanovic averages 14.2 points, and Jeremy Lin averages 14.1 points and 5.1 assists.

This story was originally published March 18, 2017 at 5:50 PM with the headline "Mavericks can’t afford another road bump against lowly Brooklyn Nets."