Oklahoma City plays the Dallas Mavericks after Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 54 points in the Oklahoma City Thunder's 123-114 victory against the Utah Jazz.

The Oklahoma City Thunder will take on the Utah Jazz on Wednesday, followed by the Dallas Mavericks on Thursday in back-to-back home games.

Dereck Lively II is the Mavericks' starting center when he's healthy and not in foul trouble, but it's worth having a quality backup for those concerns. But Gafford is making a little over $13 million this season and is likely viewed as a much more valuable asset than Maxi Kleber.

The Dallas Mavericks head to Spectrum Center to face the Charlotte Hornets in a non-conference matchup. The Mavericks are 22-19, which puts them in seventh place in the Western Conference. The Hornets are 9-28, which puts them in 14th place in the Eastern Conference.

Despite the Oklahoma City Thunder’s second-round exit in last year’s playoffs, head coach Mark Daigneault doesn’t consider the Dallas Mavericks a rival. The Mavericks handed the Thunder a 106-98 loss last week,

All things considered, the Dallas Mavericks have done a good job staying afloat in the Western Conference despite the injury to their five-time All-Star.

The NBA’s Thursday slate features a Dallas Mavericks vs OKC Thunder showdown, a rematch of last season’s Western Conference semifinals.

The Oklahoma City Thunder will play the second night of a home back-to-back when they host the Dallas Mavericks on Thursday. It will be the season's fourth matchup. OKC has lost two of three with its most recent defeat on Jan. 17.

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The Dallas Mavericks and Charlotte Hornets kick off an early slate of NBA games on Martin Luther King Day with a noon ET tip at the Spectrum Center in Charlotte.

Predictions, picks and odds as the OKC Thunder hosts the Dallas Mavericks on Thursday. Plus, injury updates and news.