Dallas Mavericks Team Report - December 22

(Basketball News) - The Dallas Mavericks take aim at their third straight win and fifth in six games tonight, when they tangle with the Atlanta Hawks at Philips Arena.

Dallas unleashed an offensive barrage on the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden Tuesday night, tallying a 123-94 thumping. Josh Howard paced the Mavericks with his career double-double, posting 26 points and 16 rebounds in the winning effort.

Dirk Nowitzki added 23 points, Michael Finley tallied 21 and Erick Dampier rounded out the double-digit scorers with 11. The Mavericks shot 48.2 percent from the field, including 8-of-17 (.471) from three-point range. Dallas was solid at the charity stripe, hitting 33-of-36 attempts.

Every player that saw action recorded at least two points for Dallas, which swept the two-game season series against the Knicks and has won seven in a row against New York.

The Mavs outscored New York 29-7 to end the second quarter and carry an insurmountable 39-point lead at halftime, 75-36. Dallas’ 75 first-half points were a season-high.

Dallas’ Jerry Stackhouse missed the game with a sore right hand. Stackhouse is listed as questionable for tonight’s contest.

The Mavs claimed their fifth consecutive road win, improving to 9-3 away from home. Meanwhile, Dallas is 8-6 at home.

Dallas has won 10 of 12 and 11 of the last 17 meetings in this series, including five of its last eight in Atlanta. The Hawks did snap a four-game series home losing streak on February 9.