They are starting their sixth set of back-to-back games. They are 4-1 in the first game of those situations after dropping the Golden State game Tuesday. ... Shawn Marion is day-to-day with a sore left ankle. He said the injury was extremely painful while playing against Houston on Wednesday. He earned a hug from coach Rick Carlisle after the game for gutting out 31 minutes. ... The reserves have been rolling, having piled up 68 points in the win at Houston. ... The Mavericks swept the season series last season, by a total of five points. It took Dirk Nowitzki's 18-footer with a second to go for a two-point win in their visit to Indiana last season.

Scouting the Pacers

They were without star Danny Granger, who has a knee-ligament injury, in Wednesday's win over the Clippers and are unlikely to have him tonight. Granger is averaging 25.2 points and has put up a league-high 108 3-pointers. ... He's likely to be replaced in the lineup by Dahntay Jones. ... Center Roy Hibbert has made a nice jump in his second season, averaging 10.6 points and 7.5 rebounds. ... Mike Dunleavy, a pain to the Mavericks in the past, is out after right knee surgery. ... The Pacers have been streaky. They won five in a row, their longest string of victories in more than four years, then lost five in a row before Wednesday's win.

Eddie Sefko