Game 63 Preview: Mavericks Back on Road In Denver

 

Coming off a season long six-game home stand, the Dallas Mavericks (33-29) head back out on the road to Denver to take on the Nuggets (24-38). The Mavericks went 4-2 during the six home games that doubles any other home stand they will have in this 2015-2016 season. Four out of six looks like a friendly number, and much needed after the team had lost 5 of 6 previous games, but it wasn’t a whole lot to get excited about.

 

The only good team the Mavericks played in the stretch, OKC, blew them out. Rajon Rondo and the Kings came in and embarrassed Dallas on Thursday night. The Mavs beat Philly, Orlando and Denver but needed a crazy 23-point comeback to erase a gigantic early hole against a bad Nuggets team.

 

So yes, 4-2. But nobody is really all that excited, especially after the way it ended vs. Sacramento. But it is what it is and on to the next one Dallas goes before coming back home during Spring Break for three more home games against DeAndre Jordan and the Clippers, the Pistons and then Monta Ellis and the Pacers.

 

The task at hand however, is once again the Denver Nuggets. 

 

It was just February 26 the last time they faced off and the lowly Nuggets had the Mavericks down 55-32 with 3:15 remaining in the first half. The Mavericks used a big third quarter behind 15 Chandler Parsons points and a heroic effort from Raymond Felton in the 4th quarter/overtime secured Dallas a win they needed.

 

That’s a theme going around these days, with the NBA regular season ending in a little over a month.

 

The resilient Grizzlies have only gained ground since losing Marc Gasol to injury and Jeff Green to trade. The Mavs are now 4.5 GB of the 5 spot in the Western Conference. It’s becoming increasingly more realistic that their ceiling has bumped down from the fifth to the sixth seed, but as late as it is it’s still early.

 

Denver will obviously be feeling like they should have gone into Dallas and won and will use their home court to try and flip the script they seemed intent on making through 20 minutes the last time the teams met.

 

The Nuggets have lost seven of ten and are coming off a one point overtime defeat against Brooklyn. With the Mavericks just having finished an extended six game home stand, Denver is in the midst of a seven game home stand.

 

The Mavericks and Nuggets play at 4 P.M on Fox Sports Southwest.