Bucks at Mavericks
THE STORY: Unless you're a Cowboys fan, the sky isn't falling after all in Dallas. That's because the defending NBA champion Mavericks have regrouped from a dismal 0-3 start to the season to move above .500. Dallas will go for its fourth consecutive victory when it hosts the Milwaukee Bucks on Friday night. There's no mystery to what has fueled the turnaround for the Mavericks. After getting blow-torched by its first three opponents and allowing an average of 108 points per game, Dallas has not allowed another team to reach triple digits. The Mavericks have been particularly stingy during their three-game winning streak, permitting an average of 83.0 points per contest. And they have done it without point guard Jason Kidd, who has missed all three games with a balky back. Milwaukee is coming off back-to-back victories, but the Bucks have yet to win away from home in six games.
TV: 8:30 p.m. ET, Fox Sports Wisconsin, Fox Sports Southwest (Dallas)
ABOUT THE BUCKS (4-6): Veteran guard Stephen Jackson seems to have worked himself out of a shooting slump. After failing to surpass 18 points in the first eight games, Jackson has pumped in 59 points in wins over Detroit and San Antonio. He hit just 32.4 percent (33 of 103) through the first eight games, but has connected on 21 of 34 (61.8) percent in his last two. Rookie F Jon Leuer had 15 points in his first career start Thursday.
ABOUT THE MAVERICKS (6-5): Reigning Sixth Man of the Year Lamar Odom has seen his game tail off dramatically. Traded to Dallas by the Los Angeles Lakers, Odom shows no signs of breaking out of a funk. He is averaging 6.6 points (down from last season's 14.4) and is shooting 29.5 percent from the field (down from 52.5 percent). "I thought my game was equipped to play anywhere and everywhere. I'm not prepared, I guess, to play," he told Sports Illustrated.
BUZZER BEATERS:
1. Nowitzki needs three points to become the 23rd player in league history to reach 23,000 points.
2. Bucks coach Scott Skiles notched his 400th career win Thursday, becoming the 39th coach to reach that number.
3. Milwaukee and Detroit combined to go 41 of 41 at the free-throw line Thursday. The Bucks hit all 17 of their attempts.