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Nowitzki looks to bounce back when Mavericks visit Suns

Jan 9, 2009 - 11:44 AM Dallas (22-13) at Phoenix (19-13) 10:30 p.m. EST

PHOENIX (Ticker) -- While a rare unspectacular performance is expected now and again, the Dallas Mavericks hope Dirk Nowitzki's down nights are few and far between.

The red-hot Mavericks go for their sixth win in seven games on Friday when they visit the Phoenix Suns.

Nowitzki scored only 10 points on Thursday, but Dallas managed to escape with a 99-94 victory over the New York Knicks. Josh Howard and Kidd paced the Mavericks with 19 and 16 points, respectively, as the former MVP Nowitzki was double-teamed almost the entire game.

"We kind of expected that coming into this game," Kidd said. "We saw that when (the Knicks) played Boston. They totally took Kevin Garnett out of the game, so we were prepared for that."

Thursday was only the second time in seven games this season the Mavericks managed to earn a victory when Nowitzki, the NBA's fifth-leading scorer at 25.7 points per game, was held below 20 points.

Returning to form against the Suns should be no problem for Nowitzki, who exploded for 39 points in the teams' first meeting this campaign and has eclipsed 30 points in seven of his last nine games against Phoenix.

The Suns are looking to bounce back after suffering a heartbreaking 113-110 setback against the Indiana Pacers on Wednesday.

Phoenix trailed throughout but claimed its first lead of the game, 110-108, after Leandro Barbosa drilled a 3-pointer with 45 seconds left.

However, Danny Granger tied the game with a tough 19-footer over Grant Hill and, after Jason Richardson missed a jumper and the Pacers called timeout, Granger buried a 3-pointer from the top of the key over Steve Nash as time expired.