GDT: Mavs @ Thunder 01/13/16 7:00pm CT

[Underdog]

After succumbing to a long night against LeBron James and Kyrie Irving, now the Dallas Mavericks must face Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook.

The visiting Mavericks figure to be the more tired team after an overtime loss although the Oklahoma City Thunder are also playing the second half of a back-to-back set Wednesday night.

Dallas (22-17) fell 110-107 at home to Cleveland on Tuesday. James had three points and an assist on Irving's 3-pointer in a 6-2 run over the final minute of the extra session, and they combined for 49 points.

"We can't hang our heads," forward Chandler Parsons told the Mavericks' official website. "We've got the same type of monster tomorrow night in OKC, dealing with similar personnel with Westbrook and Durant. It's not going to get easier going forward, so we've got to lock in get back at it tomorrow."

Three Mavericks logged at least 40 minutes, including the starting backcourt of Deron Williams and Wesley Matthews. Dallas built an early 16-point lead.

"We knew we weren't going to blow them out. We knew that the lead at some point was going to get chipped away," Matthews said. "But this was our game. We should have won it and we didn't."

Fatigue will be a factor versus the Thunder, who won 101-96 at Minnesota on Tuesday. Durant scored Oklahoma City's final 12 points over the last 2:54 in a 30-point effort.

"It felt like I need to get it going in the first three quarters," he said. "I can't just come out and try to save the game and make shots in the fourth. I've got to get it going earlier. I've got to make shots, man. That's what it's about."

Westbrook added 22 points, 11 assists and seven rebounds as Oklahoma City (27-12) won for the seventh time in nine games.

The Mavericks will face Durant for the first time since he was out when the Thunder won 117-114 on Nov. 22. Westbrook had 31 points and 11 assists, scoring Oklahoma City's final six points as it held on down the stretch.

Williams and Matthews combined for 38 points that night.

Dallas is 6-3 in the second half of back-to-backs and Oklahoma City is 2-4. It's not clear who will even play for the Mavericks after Tuesday's grueling loss.

Last Tuesday, Dallas won in two overtimes at home over Sacramento. The next night, coach Rick Carlisle rested Williams, Matthews, Dirk Nowitzki and Zaza Pachulia in a 100-91 win at New Orleans. Parsons was the only regular starter who remained in the lineup.

Parsons led Dallas with a season-high 25 points on 10-of-14 shooting Tuesday. Nowitzki had 17 points and 11 boards.

Nowitzki entered Tuesday averaging 8.0 points on catch-and-shoot attempts to rank third in the NBA. Oklahoma City's Serge Ibaka was seventh at 7.1 per game.

The Thunder have won nine of their last 11 at home over the Mavs, including two playoff wins. Tuesday's victory completed their longest trip of the season to this point at 2-1.

"It was a good trip for us, we won more than we lost," Durant said. "We're looking forward to coming home and playing in front of our great fans."

Dallas is opening a three-game trip that includes matchups with Chicago and San Antonio.

http://espn.go.com/nba/preview?gameId=400828469

[CGM]

...B2B against top teams... tired legs and bodies... on the road (again)... Kevin and Russell... 2-9 at OKC... NO PROBLEM...! Tonight, Dirk continues playing at All-Star level, and the rest of the team gets inspired by his superstar performance even at 37 years young... Mavs win against all odds....

Mavs - 116
Thonder - 115

[FreshJive]

Only starter playing is Zaza.

[yahyes]

Mavs got really close last night knowing there's another game today. Great way to put some guys to the test. Need a team win here

[Underdog]

Originally Posted by FreshJive

Only starter playing is Zaza.

Mavs win in a blowout.

[FreshJive]

Originally Posted by Underdog

Mavs win in a blowout.

I agree.

[yahyes]

Same intensity like last night. But when can someone on the bench step up consistently.. JJ has been our best so far. McGee also has slowly gotten into it helping the team all around. Mavs need someone else. Carlisle gets bold and plays Jenkins some more?

[BPo001]

Originally Posted by FreshJive

Only starter playing is Zaza.

Zaza is out with a sore right achilles.

[Bryan_Wilson]

Simbaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa time.

[yahyes]

Mavs have to play it run n gun.

[yahyes]

Can't be forcing McGee to shoot jumpers too much

[Underdog]

Getting out rebounded 20-9, OKC has 5 ORB.

[EricaLubarsky]

Originally Posted by Underdog

Getting out rebounded 20-9, OKC has 5 ORB.

They have 5 O-boards. We have 9 boards.

[EricaLubarsky]

Mejri appearance. (yeah, there isn't much else to be excited about)

[Underdog]

Originally Posted by EricaLubarsky

Mejri appearance. (yeah, there isn't much else to be excited about)

Yeah, we're totally punting tonight -- Carlisle is treating this like a preseason game.

[FreshJive]

Apparently Devin and Felton have decided to take the night off as well.

[Bryan_Wilson]

Things just got exciting.

[Skywalker]

[yahyes]

Oklahoma always the pissant when it's about sports

[EricaLubarsky]

Rick just shouldn't call a single TO

[yahyes]

JJ is standing up for himself. Shouldn't be a ejection on him. Westprick being westprick.

[BPo001]

Charlie Buckets got ejected? For what??

[Bryan_Wilson]

CV3 gets the boot after getting shoved 3 times and he shoves but it ends up being nothing more than a lovers caress on the neck but because letter of the law he's gone. Good ol NBA.

[Skywalker]

Of course we get the short end of the stick lmao

[NeedlesKane]

Why was nothing called again Westbrook? Games like this make me hate watching the NBA.

[EricaLubarsky]

Ball don't lie. Westbrook misses both FTs

Refs do, though. That was bullshit. F the Thunder. Trying to be bullies to our second and third stringers in a game we've conceded? Bush league.

[yahyes]

It's like I want the Mavs to spread the floor as much as possible. Then go for steals on defense.

[BPo001]

Now the refs are going to blow their whistle with any contact.

[yahyes]

Originally Posted by Bryan_Wilson

CV3 gets the boot after getting shoved 3 times and he shoves but it ends up being nothing more than a lovers caress on the neck but because letter of the law he's gone. Good ol NBA.

Ibaka gets away with a lot of taunting.

[AO41]

No T for Durant? If CV got two....Durant should have had at least one.

[NeedlesKane]

I wish Charlie did more than a light shove. I wish he knocked out that son of a bitch Westbrook instead.

[EricaLubarsky]

Thunder are classless and refs are enablers.

[EricaLubarsky]

F these classless assholes.

[NeedlesKane]

Total Bush League BS indeed.

[BPo001]

Well, I'm done watching for the night. Not going to waste my evening watching the Mavs get blown out by these clowns.

[FreshJive]

Justin Anderson. Welp

[yahyes]

Well talk about a massive lead to chop down.

[EricaLubarsky]

Here's a hint: it's fine to run up the score in the second and third quarters to help guarantee the win. It's fine to make a statement, but running up the score, shoving players, and taunting third stringers is just classless and bush league. F the Thunder.

I'll always remember when Dirk decided to make them his bitch.

[yahyes]

Originally Posted by FreshJive

Justin Anderson. Welp

Our best bet is he stops overly shooting 3's.

[EricaLubarsky]

Originally Posted by yahyes

Our best bet is he stops overly shooting 3's.

our only hope is that he starts making them. Defense and 3s are about his only skills.

We also have no one else out there who can score, which is why we have 33 points.