Denver @ Dallas preview

Last Meeting ( Dec 18, 2018 ) Dallas 118, Denver 126

The Denver Nuggets look to record their 40th victory of the season when they face the Dallas Mavericks on Friday. Denver would become the fourth team to reach the mark this season as it enjoys a solid campaign that is surely going to end a five-season playoff drought.

The Nuggets own the second-best record in the Western Conference and will return home for four games after the visit to Dallas. Denver All-Star center Nikola Jokic finished play before the All-Star break with seven triple-doubles in 12 games and he has 12 on the season. The Mavericks have lost three of their last four games and stand 12th in the West but the club is operating under the assumption it can make up the five-game deficit it currently faces for the final playoff spot. "We're going to play these games to win them," Dallas coach Rick Carlisle told reporters. "We have 25 games left, we want to learn as much as we can, of course, but we're trying to win. We don't want to compromise winning to find out if a guy can make a left-handed hook shot over a shot-blocker or anything like that."

TV: 8:30 p.m. ET, Altitude (Denver), FS Southwest (Dallas)

ABOUT THE NUGGETS (39-18): Shooting guard Gary Harris (groin) is expected to return from a seven-game absence and coach Michael Malone said he would be cautious with the amount of minutes he receives. "He missed three weeks, he missed seven games, so I'm not going to throw him out there for 30 minutes the first game and risk having him hurt," Malone told reporters of Harris. "(We will) really monitor his minutes these last 25 games so we don't overextend him, because we don't want Gary going out again." Harris is averaging 14.8 points in 32 games and Malone made this declaration: "When Gary Harris is on the court, we're a much better defensive team."

ABOUT THE MAVERICKS (26-31): Due to forward Dirk Nowitzki getting the farewell treatment at the All-Star Game, the assumption is that the 21-year-veteran is playing the final 25 games of his career. But Carlisle said that isn't necessarily the case despite the fact Nowitzki is averaging just 4.7 points and 11 minutes in 26 games off the bench. "You're wrong to assume that it is his last season," Carlisle told reporters. "We don't know. He's been very consistent, really, for multiple years saying that he'll always leave it open and decide in the offseason, which I respect."

BUZZER BEATERS

1. The Nuggets have won six of the past eight meetings, including a 126-118 home victory on Dec. 18.

2. Dallas rookie SF Luka Doncic is averaging 23.5 points, 9.2 rebounds and seven assists in the past six games.

3. Denver backup F Trey Lyles (hamstring) could miss approximately two weeks after being injured during Wednesday's practice.

PREDICTION: Nuggets 112, Mavericks 104