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Nets try to keep momentum, host Dallas

Jan 24, 2014 - 2:48 PM (SportsNetwork.com) - The Brooklyn Nets have played hot at home lately and will shoot for their seventh straight win at Barclays Center Friday night versus the Dallas Mavericks.

The Nets improved their home mark to 11-9 with Tuesday's 101-90 triumph over the Orlando Magic. Andray Blatche scored 18 points off the bench, Mirza Teletovic ended with 14 and both Paul Pierce and Joe Johnson scored 13 points for the Nets, who have won three in a row overall and is an NBA-best 8-1 in January.

Deron Williams had nine points and nine assists in the victory.

"The first group did a good job to help us get out to a good start," said Williams. "That third quarter that first group came out again and set the tone."

Brooklyn has won 12 straight games when leading at halftime.

The Mavericks have rotated wins and losses in their last six games and will wrap up a three-game road trip Friday night.

Dallas suffered a 93-85 loss at Toronto on Wednesday, as DeMar DeRozan scored a career-high 40 points to lead the Raptors. Monta Ellis paced Dallas with 21 points and Jose Calderon and Brandan Wright scored 13 points apiece in defeat.

The Raptors rebounded from a 34-15 hole after 12 minutes and scored 25 points on 21 Dallas turnovers. Prior to Wednesday, the Mavericks had only 16 turnovers their two previous games combined.

"We have to do better," Dallas swingman Vince Carter said. "I think we have to zero in on staying focused and staying the course. A game we should have won, regardless of whether Dirk (Nowitzki) was on the floor or not."

Dallas played without star Dirk Nowitzki, who got the night off and should be back in the lineup Friday. Nowitzki leads the Mavs with 21.1 points per game.

After the Mavericks, who are 11-12 on the road, visit Brooklyn, they will return to Big D for four straight games versus Detroit, Houston, Sacramento and Cleveland.

The Mavericks and Nets split two meetings last season, but Dallas has won six of the previous eight games in this series. The Mavs are unbeaten in the past three road tilts with the Nets.