The Dallas Mavericks are clinging to the seventh seed in the cramped Western Conference playoff race.
A loss tonight would inch them closer to being the first team since the 1997-1998 Bulls to miss the playoffs after a championship season. Relating further to those Bulls, the Mavericks are also working with a shortened lockout season.
Dallas (34-28) looks to avoid that dubious feat and snap a two-game skid as they try to sweep the season series against the Houston Rockets for the second consecutive season in Wednesday’s best game.
The last time the two teams met back on March 28, the Mavericks won 90-81 and were tied for the fifth seed while the Rockets were 1/2 game behind the Nuggets for the eighth seed. They fight for playoff positioning for the final time this season.
Houston hasn’t won a home game since March 30, losing four straight at the Toyota Center. But Dallas has looked nothing like the road warriors of last season, where they shared the best overall road record in the league with the Miami Heat.
They finished last season with a 28-13 road record, but are just 13-18 away from home this season.
Things didn’t get any better in the last game, when they lost 123-121 in a triple overtime game against Utah despite 40 points from Dirk Nowitzki.
The team plays two more games at home, starting tonight, before playing its remaining two games on the road against Chicago and Atlanta.
Rodrigue Beaubois is set to return after missing the last two games.
Houston (32-29) has lost four consecutive games for the third time this season after winning four straight on the road, leaving them percentage points behind Phoenix for the eighth seed.
They will have to shore up a defense that has allowed 105.3 points during the four-game losing streak.
The Rockets have gone undefeated in 18 games when they allow less than 90 points.
Former starting point guard Kyle Lowry has struggled with his new role off the bench since returning from a bacterial infection. In six games, he has averaged 8.8 points on just 37.8 percent shooting in 20 minutes.
Marcus Camby missed the previous game due to a sore back and is doubtful for tonight’s contest.
James Park is a regular contributor to Sheridanhoops.com. You can follow him on twitter @nbatupark.