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Mavs kick off trek with Pacers

Jan 12, 2011 - 4:35 PM (Sports Network) - The Dallas Mavericks will begin a four-game road trip tonight against the Indiana Pacers from Conseco Fieldhouse.

Dallas will also take on the Spurs, Grizzlies and Pistons, and is 12-2 away from Big D this season. The Mavericks, however, have lost two straight and five of seven games, including Saturday's 117-107 loss to the Orlando Magic in the finale of a three-game homestand.

DeShawn Stevenson posted 24 points, while Shawn Marion scored 18 to go with eight rebounds for the Mavericks, who fell to 2-5 since star forward Dirk Nowitzki went down with a knee injury against Oklahoma City on Dec. 27.

"We've just got to keep fighting," Mavs head coach Rick Carlisle said. "It was a tough game to play defensively because of the way they stretched the floor."

Jason Terry ended with 16 points and nine assists in defeat. Nowitzki is sidelined indefinitely.

Indiana was able to put the brakes on a nine-game road losing streak with last night's 111-103 victory at Philadelphia.

Danny Granger finished with a game-high 27 points, Darren Collison notched a double-double with 21 points and 13 assists and Mike Dunleavy netted 20 points for the Pacers, who won for the second time in eight tries.

"I think that we defended well," Pacers coach Jim O'Brien said. "We had a good quickness on the court, challenged shots, shots that they were making were challenged."

Jeff Foster added 10 points and eight rebounds, while Roy Hibbert scored eight points and grabbed eight rebounds in the win.

The Pacers will also host Chicago on the short homestand and own a 9-9 mark at Conseco Fieldhouse this season.

Dallas has taken each of the previous two home-and-home series and five straight meetings overall from the Pacers. It is 13-5 in the past 18 matchups, but has dropped 12 of the last 18 visits to Indy.