Atlanta (0-7) at Dallas (5-2), 8:30 pm EST

DALLAS (Ticker) -- After a difficult start to their three-game road trip, the Atlanta Hawks will attempt to reduce the number of winless teams in the NBA to one when they visit the Dallas Mavericks on Thursday.

With Tuesday's 103-79 setback at San Antonio, the Hawks matched their worst start since moving to Atlanta in 1968. The 2000-01 squad also started 0-7.

Aside from the Hawks, the Toronto Raptors (0-8) are the only winless team in the league.

Atlanta fell to the verge of establishing a new franchise low after starting fast and finishing flat against the Spurs. The Hawks held a 31-18 lead after one quarter but were outscored, 85-48, thereafter.

Al Harrington was one of Atlanta's few bright spots, finishing with 23 points and nine rebounds. However, he had five of the 18 turnovers committed by the Hawks, who had just eight assists.

The Mavericks are heading in another direction with three straight victories. They enter Thursday's action trailing San Antonio by one-half game in the Southwest Division after opening a four-game homestand with Tuesday's 83-80 win over Denver.

Dirk Nowitzki rallied Dallas back from a 19-point deficit midway through the third quarter and finished with a season-high 35 points. He had 17 after the Nuggets took their largest lead, 64-45.

DeSagana Diop had career highs of 16 rebounds and six blocks, including a critical one in the closing seconds to preserve the victory. Marquis Daniels was the only Maverick other than Nowitzki to score in double figures, finishing with 17 points.

After winning nine straight over Atlanta, Dallas has lost three of the last four in the series.