LOS ANGELES • After a 31-point performance in a win over the Los Angeles Lakers on Tuesday, Dallas Mavericks forward Harrison Barnes did not blink when asked his thoughts on facing his former club, the Golden State Warriors, for the first time this morning (Singapore time).

"It's another game," he said with a straight face.

Just another game?

"We're 2-5, trying to be 3-5 and go back home," he said.

Barnes made himself at home at the Staples Centre, connecting on 11 of 18 shots from the floor as the Mavericks defeated the Lakers 109-97.

Seth Curry came off the bench to score a career-high 23 points for the Mavericks, who beat the Lakers for the 11th consecutive time.

Mavericks guard J.J. Barea added 18 points, eight assists and seven rebounds.

Unlike Barnes, Curry did not hide his excitement at the prospect of clashing with his brother Stephen and the Warriors. "It's going to fun going against one of the best players in the league and one of the best teams in the league," he said. "It's going to be a competitive night for us. It's a little weird matching up against him sometimes, but it's all fun, and it's a dream come true, honestly, to be on the same court at the same time."

The Lakers (4-4) were looking forward to facing the Mavericks and attempting to win a fourth game in a row for the first time since the 2012-13 season.

Instead, they allowed the Mavericks to go on a fourth-quarter run, one the Lakers had no answer for as their winning streak ended.

"I thought we were a little soft in the first half. When you let good players get into a rhythm, it can be tough to shut them down," Lakers coach Luke Walton said.

In Memphis, Vince Carter turned back the clock with a 20-point game. But it was his inbounds pass to centre Marc Gasol that was his biggest play, setting up the Grizzlies' buzzer-beating 108-107 victory over the Denver Nuggets on Tuesday at the FedExForum.

REUTERS

DALLAS V GOLDEN STATE

Singtel TV Ch110, 11.30am