Dallas, TX (My Sportsbook) - Dirk Nowitzki scored a game-high 31 points, and the
Dallas Mavericks used a late fourth quarter run to down the
Philadelphia 76ers, 96-86, at American Airlines Center.
Jason Terry provided 21 points and five assists for the Mavs, who have won six of seven. Josh Howard had 10 points and seven rebounds, while Erick Dampier added 10 points and 14 rebounds in the win. Jason Kidd recorded five points, nine assists and five rebounds for Dallas.
"What kept us in the game was our defense," Nowitzki said. "I think we should have been down at halftime way more than four points, but you give up 44 points at half to give us a chance to hang around and win the game. It was a big effort in the second half offensively and defensively."
Andre Iguodala had 22 points, five assists and four rebounds for the Sixers, who fell to 1-4 on a season-long six-game road trip. Andre Miller had 17 points, 11 rebounds and four assists, while Lou Williams also had 17 points in the loss.
"(Dallas) just made timely buckets," Iguodala said. "In that fourth quarter they did a good job of mixing it up. They got to the foul line a lot. They were knocking down jump shots. They also did a good job on the glass early on, which kept them in the game."
Down two to start the fourth, Dallas went on a 10-4 run, as Nowitzki's three- pointer with 9 1/2 minutes left gave the Mavs a 74-70 lead.
Theo Ratliff tied the game for Philadelphia, 78-78, after a dunk with 5:16 to play. But the Mavs ripped off seven straight points, as Terry's basket gave Dallas an 85-78 lead with 3:55 left.
After Williams' dunk made it a five-point game, Dallas went on a 8-2 run to take an 11-point lead with 1:28 to go, effectively sealing the victory for the Mavs.
The Sixers closed the first quarter on a 14-0 burst to take a 20-16 lead into the second period.
Both teams played even in the second, and Philadelphia took a 44-40 edge to halftime thanks to Miller's 11 points.
The 76ers began the third on a 10-2 run, seizing a 54-42 lead with just over nine minutes left in the period. But Dallas, by 11 with 5:35 left, closed the period on an 11-2 run, and the Mavs trailed only 66-64 heading into the fourth.
Game Notes
Philadelphia will finish its road trip against San Antonio on Saturday...Dallas has beaten the Sixers in six of the last eight meetings...The Mavs shot 45.6 percent from the field; Philadelphia shot 44.9 percent.
