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Mavs and Spurs renew rivalry in Dallas

Jan 29, 2012 - 3:40 PM (Sports Network) - Longtime Lone Star State rivals meet with first place in the Southwest Division on the line as the Mavericks welcome San Antonio to Big D.

Dallas, the reigning NBA champs, and the Spurs, the defending division champs, both currently sit as 12-8, deadlocked with yet another Texas team, Houston, atop the highly competitive division.

The Mavs come in on the heels of a solid 116-101 home win over Utah on Friday. Roddy Beaubois scored a season-high 22 points in that one to power Dallas, which continued to play without superstar Dirk Nowitzki (sore right knee).

Lamar Odom added a season-best 19 points and Jason Terry scored 18 off the bench for the Mavericks, who also toiled without veteran backup guard Delonte West (strained right hamstring). Meanwhile, starting point guard Jason Kidd left the game in the first quarter with a strained right calf and didn't return.

Despite the injuries, the Mavericks shot 55 percent and went 11-of-19 from three-point range on the way to their fourth win in five games. Brendan Haywood contributed 12 points and 12 rebounds, while Shawn Marion notched 16 points for Dallas, which has won six in a row against the Jazz.

"They told me that Jason Kidd was going to be out, so I just wanted to play the best basketball I could play and just wanted the team to win," Beaubois said. "Everybody did a great job, we knew Jason Kidd wasn't going to play and we know how important he is to us. Everybody stepped up and that was good."

Both Nowitzki, who was originally expected to return to the lineup tonight, and Kidd have been listed as questionable for tonight's contest while West is expected back.

San Antonio, meanwhile, continued to struggle away from the Alamo City on Friday dropping the opener of a three-game road trip in Minneapolis, 87-79.

All-Star Kevin Love had 18 points and 16 rebounds as the Timberwolves scored the final 10 points of the game to beat the Spurs for the second time this month.

Tony Parker had 20 points to lead San Antonio, while Tim Duncan scored nine with 10 rebounds.

"If we're on the road and we hold somebody to 87 points, I think we have a good chance," Spurs coach Gregg Popovich said. "I felt good about that. But like many NBA games, the last four or five minutes, whoever scores wins."

The Spurs, who will also visit Memphis on their trek, are in the midst of playing 16 of 21 games away from home and currently 3-4 during the stretch. Overall, San Antonio is just 2-7 as the visitor on the season.

The Spurs, however, have won four straight in the regular season over the Mavs including a 93-71 rout in San Antonio back on Jan. 5.