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Mavericks look to push latest streak to six games

Mar 25, 2007 - 2:31 PM Dallas (57-11) at Atlanta (27-43) 1:00 pm EDT

ATLANTA (Ticker) -- Dirk Nowitzki and the Dallas Mavericks are hoping their winning ways lead to hardware this season.

The Dallas Mavericks have ripped off winning streaks of 12, 13 and 17 games already this season and will look to extend their current five-game streak Sunday at Atlanta.

Nowitzki has emerged as the front-runner for league Most Valuable Player averaging 25.1 points and 9.5 rebounds this season as Dallas has run away from the rest of the Western Conference. Second-place Phoenix (52-16) trails by five games.

A renewed dedication to defense has been the catalyst for the Mavericks most recent streak, as they have held each of their last three opponents under 40 percent shooting. Dallas held Boston to just over 36 percent shooting in a 109-95 victory Friday night.

After a disappointing loss in the NBA finals to Miami last season Dallas is taking the ball into the paint and using their size to post up opponents, settling for fewer jump shots. They outscored Boston 56-14 in the paint Friday, and Nowitzki is attempting just 2.3 3-point shots per game, down from 3.4 last season.

Atlanta is hoping to earn a split of its four-game homestand with a rare win over the Mavericks, who swept the Hawks last season and took the first meeting 110-87 February 26 behind 27 points from Nowitzki.

Atlanta has lost four of five and is five games behind Indiana (31-37) for the eighth and final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference.

All-Star Joe Johnson scored 29 points in the first meeting with Dallas, but has missed the last 10 games with a deep calf contusion and is not expected to play the rest of the season.