The San Antonio Spurs are among the best teams in the NBA. Lately, they may be the most inconsistent. San Antonio will try to find its form Thursday when it hosts the Dallas Mavericks. After winning three straight by an average of 28.3 points, the Spurs lost at home to Portland by 30, posted a solid win over high-powered Oklahoma City and then suffered a 24-point loss at lowly Minnesota on Tuesday while forwards Tim Duncan and Kawhi Leonard stayed home.

The New York Knicks will limp into Portland for a matchup with the Trail Blazers on Thursday in what is quickly turning into a disastrous five-game road trip. New York was pummeled by 29 points at Golden State on Monday and absorbed a 26-point beating in Denver on Wednesday. The battered Knicks will be without star Carmelo Anthony, who left Thursday's game with knee soreness and is being sent back to New York for tests.