Mavericks at Thunder
The Dallas Mavericks are winners of six in a row and Deron Williams is beginning to turn back the clock with his offensive performance. Williams’ offense may become secondary to his ability to stay in front of Russell Westbrook when the Mavericks visit the Oklahoma City Thunder on Sunday.
Williams was hampered by injuries and ineffectiveness before his departure from the Brooklyn Nets over the summer and is trying to resurrect a once-promising career with Dallas. The former star had his best game of the season with 23 points, eight assists, six rebounds and four 3-pointers in a 102-93 win over the Utah Jazz on Friday and has played over 30 minutes while scoring in double figures in each game during the winning streak. Williams was strong against young point guards on Philadelphia, Boston and Utah over the past three games but gets a different test from Westbrook, who is averaging 39 points in the last three games. Westbrook went for 34 against New York on Friday but the Thunder ended up suffering their third loss in the last four games 93-90.
TV: 7 p.m. ET, FSN Southwest (Dallas), FSN Oklahoma
ABOUT THE MAVERICKS (9-4): Williams has yet to miss a free throw this season in 35 attempts and went 7-of-13 from the field in Friday’s win. “I’m having fun again. It’s been a long time since I had fun playing basketball. This team has made it really fun to play,” Williams told reporters. “I’m having fun right now, being a part of this team.” Everything tends to be more fun when the team is winning, and Dallas will put its streak on the line with a three-game trip that goes through Memphis and San Antonio after Oklahoma City.
ABOUT THE THUNDER (7-6): The absence of Kevin Durant (hamstring) is starting to become more noticeable, and Oklahoma City certainly could have used its former MVP in Friday’s setback. The Thunder went 3-of-29 from beyond the arc and shot 38 percent from the field overall in the loss. “In this game our guys really competed. It would have been easy for our guys to get frustrated,” Oklahoma City coach Billy Donovan told reporters. “We had a hard time making shots, a hard time scoring and putting the ball in the basket at times.”
BUZZER BEATERS
1. The Mavericks took three of four meetings last season and averaged 122 points in the victories.
2. Oklahoma City G Dion Waiters is 1-of-10 from 3-point range in the last three games.
3. Dallas C Zaza Pachulia posted a double-double in four of the last six games.