CSN Bay Area

After Tuesday night's game in Sacramento, the Warriors come back home to face Dirk Nowitzki and the 33-17 Mavericks on Wednesday night.

The last time the two teams met, December 13 in Dallas, the Warriors blitzed the Mavericks 39-18 in the first quarter and held on for a 105-98 win. Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson combined for 54 points and eight 3-pointers made.

After practice on Wednesday, Nowitzki spoke to the media about facing the team with the best record in the NBA and trying to slow down the dynamic duo of Curry and Thompson.

On facing the Warriors and if Wednesday's game in Oakland is a benchmark game for the Mavericks:
"...We know they're a great team, one of the best in the league. They're very good defensively, they're long, they switch a lot all with their 6'8", 6'9" guys. Offensively, we all know what kind of weapons they have. They're a very good team, so we have to get in there and withstand some runs. They're a beast at home. Their crowd gets into it like no other. We're gonna have to play with poise and keep our turnovers down, and go from there. A game like this should excite you, this is what it's all about. The crowd there is amazing, so it should be a fun test for us."

On how Mavericks will slow down Warriors' high scoring guards while being without point guard Rajon Rondo:
"Yeah, obviously we'd love to have Rondo going in a game like this. He's a big-game player. He's a great defender at the guard spot, but every team has injuries. We 've faced numerous teams, so far, that have key players down. We just have to get in there. It's a luxury obviously to have four guards on your roster. We have three guys that have seen a lot, been in this league a lot. (Raymond Felton) has been a starter for numerous years. I think we're more than well equipped. But it's going to be tough. Sometimes against those guys, you can't let your head hang down. They're going to make some tough shots, both Klay and Steph. They're going to make some great plays and the crowd is going to go wild. That's when you have to settle down and execute on the other end. It's going to be a fun little test for our guards."