The Oklahoma City Thunder will return from the NBA All-Star break looking to extend a three-game winning streak both straight-up and against the spread when they host the Dallas Mavericks on tonight.
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For the first time since he suffered multiple injuries Jan. 31 in Orlando, point guard Rajon Rondo will be back on the floor and in the starting lineup. Dallas is 4-2 since Rondo’s injury
Rondo is averaging 9.2 points and 6.5 assists in 21 games since being traded to Dallas from the Boston Celtics in mid-December. He sustained the injury early in a Jan. 31 game at the Orlando Magic when he caught an inadvertent knee in the face from teammate Richard Jefferson.
Mavs head coach Rick Carlisle shares Rondo's optimism that he will be able to return later this week.
Thunder currently sit a half-game behind the Phoenix Suns for the eighth and final playoff spot in the deep Western Conference. To make the postseason, Oklahoma City will have to continue to play at the high level it was going into the break. With Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook healthy, the Thunder offense has been clicking with four double-digit wins over the team's last five games and a 115 points per game average over that stretch. Oklahoma City is 5-1 SU and 4-2 ATS over its last six games since going 1-4 SU and 0-5 ATS in its previous five.
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Dallas is currently the fifth seed in the West as the third-best team in the Southwest Division. The Mavs trail the Houston Rockets by one game for second place and the Memphis Grizzlies by four games for first in the division. They own the third-best offense in the league, averaging 106.3 points per game, and hope to get healthy for the final stretch of the regular season.
Dallas won six of eight heading into the break, with a 4-3-1 mark ATS following a four-game losing streak, but saw guards Rajon Rondo (facial fractures) and Monta Ellis (hip) plus center Tyson Chandler (ankle) all come down with injuries.
The Thunder dropped this season's first meeting 112-107 at Dallas on Dec. 28 as Nowitzki matched a season high with 30 points. Oklahoma City, which was without Durant that night, is looking to avoid a fourth consecutive loss in the series after winning the previous seven matchups.
Durant is averaging 31.7 points on 65.3 percent shooting in his last three games and 34.0 in the last seven against the Mavericks.
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