Mavericks vs. Nuggets: Game 59 Preview

Dallas Mavericks (30-28) vs. Denver Nuggets (23-35)
Fri. Feb. 26, 7:30 at the AAC
TV: FSSW, NBALP
Line: Mavs by 5

2015-16 Matchups
Nov. 28 at Dallas
Mavs 92 Nuggets 81

All-Time Series
Mavs 83 Nuggets 76


Team Stats
Mavs
Off. Rating: 103.7 (9th)
Def. Rating: 103.6 (17th)
Point Differential: -0.7
Nuggets
Offense: 101.7 (22nd)
Defense: 105.2 (20th)
Point Differential: -3.2

Projected Starters
Mavs
PG: Deron Williams
SG: Wesley Matthews
SF: Chandler Parsons
PF: Dirk Nowitzki
C: Zaza Pachulia
Nuggets
PG: Emmanuel Mudiay
SG: Gary Harris
SF: Danilo Gallinari
PF: Kenneth Faried
C: Nikola Jokic

Team Leaders

Mavs
PPG: Nowitzki, 17.7
RPG: Pachulia, 10.8
APG: Williams, 5.5
PER: Nowitzki, 19.2
Nuggets
PPG: Gallinari, 19.7
RPG: Faried, 8.7
APG: Mudiay, 5.7
PER: Jokic, 21.9


Of Note

• The Mavs, losers of 6 out of 8, have four straight home games against teams with losing records.
• Dirk is coming off a season high 33 points against OKC where he shot 10-16 from the field and 11-12 from the line.
• Nuggets point guard Emmanuel Mudiay, who grew up in Dallas, leads all rookies in assists per game (5.7) and is 5th in points per game (11.3). However he is shooting only 33.8% from the field.
• The Mavericks have won 3 in a row and 4 out 5 against the Nuggets. The teams still have two remaining games to play in Denver in March.
• Chandler Parsons 6 point outing on Wednesday was only his second time scoring in single digits in his last 16 games.