Denver hosts the NBA-best Mavericks

04.6.2007

(Basketball News) - The Dallas Mavericks try to get closer to clinching the top seed in the Western Conference playoffs, as they visit the Denver Nuggets tonight at the Pepsi Center.

The Mavericks are 6 1/2 games ahead of the Pacific Division-champion Phoenix Suns, who are visiting the New Orleans/Oklahoma City Hornets this evening, for the top seed in the West.

Denver is No. 7 in the playoff race, one-half game behind the sixth-seeded Lakers and one game ahead of the eighth-seeded Clippers.

Dallas wraps up a three-game road trip this evening. The Mavericks are 1-1 on the swing. On Tuesday, Josh Howard scored 29 points and grabbed eight rebounds as the Mavericks earned a 97-93 victory over the Sacramento Kings at ARCO Arena.

Jason Terry added 27 points, five rebounds and five assists for Mavericks, who rebounded from Sunday’s 126-104 loss to Phoenix to win for the 10th time in 11 games overall. Veteran Jerry Stackhouse tallied 23 points off the bench for playoff-bound Dallas, which played without injured star Dirk Nowitzki, who missed the contest with food poisoning.

Nowitzki is probable for tonight’s contest. The MVP candidate leads the Mavericks in scoring (24.9 ppg) and rebounding (9.2 rpg).

The Mavericks are 29-8 on the road this season. They return home to host the Portland Trail Blazers on Saturday and the Clippers on Monday at the American Airlines Center.

Denver enters tonight’s contest on a three-game winning streak. Carmelo Anthony scored 31 points and grabbed eight rebounds to lead the Nuggets to a 120-115 win over Sacramento on Wednesday at the Pepsi Center.

Nene added a career-high 28 points and 12 rebounds for the Nuggets, who nearly blew a 21-point halftime lead but still held on to win their third straight contest. Allen Iverson and J.R. Smith both tallied 16 points, while Marcus Camby ended with 15 points and 11 boards in the victory.

The Nuggets are 20-18 at home this season. They are scheduled to visit the Clippers on Saturday at the Staples Center.

This is the fourth and final meeting of the campaign between the squads. Dallas won all three contests, and has captured four straight and eight of the last nine meetings in the series.

The Mavericks have won three of four and four of their last six at Denver.

DAL DEN

1 Comments: Denver hosts the NBA-best Mavericks

Posted by
Iverson rocks
on 04.9.2007

Hahahaha, Denver kicked Dallas ass. .

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