After pulling out a 94-91 victory in Utah on Thursday, the 9-7 Dallas Mavericks will try to go 2-2 on their Western Conference road trip in a Saturday game against the 3-12 New Orleans Hornets.
With Vince Carter out with a foot injury and Dirk Nowitzki struggling with a knee issue, Shawn Marion and Rodrigue Beaubois stepped up to carry the scoring load against the Jazz, combining for 39 points on 16-26 shooting.
Dallas will lean on their depth in New Orleans Saturday night after a trying week where they played three nationally televised games against in four nights.
They defeated the Hornets 96-81 in a home game on Jan. 7, as New Orleans has struggled mightily with Chris Paul in LA and the player acquired to replace him, Eric Gordon, out with a knee injury for most of the season.
The Hornets are coming off a 90-88 OT road loss to the Houston Rockets, and they have a solid core of veterans -- Jarrett Jack, Trevor Ariza, Emeka Okafor and Chris Kaman -- who can surprise contending teams if they're allowed to hang around for four quarter.
The 7:00 PM game will be broadcast regionally on Fox Sports Southwest.
Mavs Moneyball has you covered for all the latest news and notes on the defending NBA champions, while At The Hive is your one-stop shop for information on the Southwest Division rivals in New Orleans.