Dirk leads Mavs to seventh straight win
DALLAS (AP)—Dirk Nowitzki(notes) scored 36 points, Caron Butler(notes) had 19 in his returnto the Dallas lineup and the Mavericks held on for a 108-100 victory over theNew Orleans Hornets on Sunday night to extend their NBA-high winning streak toseven games.
The Hornets had cut what had been a 25-point deficit to 101-97 after DarrenCollison’s(notes) 3-pointer with 2:44 left capped the rookie’s stretch of eightconsecutive points. But New Orleans didn’t get any closer and Collison, who hada season-high 35 points, had consecutive turnovers in the final minute thatDallas turned into baskets.
Nowitzki hit a 9-foot turnaround jumper after Collison’s first turnover, andthe first score for either team since Collison’s 3-pointer that capped hisstretch of eight consecutive points.
Dallas Mavericks forward Dirk … AP – Mar 1, 12:52 am EST ![]()
Dallas Mavericks guard Jason K… AP – Mar 1, 12:44 am EST ![]()
Dallas Mavericks guard Jason K… AP – Mar 1, 12:42 am EST ![]()
Dallas Mavericks forward Caron… AP – Mar 1, 12:36 am EST ![]()
New Orleans Hornets guard Darr… AP – Mar 1, 12:35 am EST ![]()
Dallas Mavericks forward Dirk … AP – Mar 1, 12:33 am EST ![]()
New Orleans Hornets forward Da… AP – Feb 28, 10:57 pm EST ![]()
Dallas Mavericks forward Dirk … AP – Feb 28, 10:50 pm EST ![]()
Dallas Mavericks center Brenda… AP – Feb 28, 10:24 pm EST ![]()
New Orleans Hornets coach Jeff… AP – Feb 28, 10:23 pm EST ![]()
New Orleans Hornets guard Darr… AP – Feb 28, 10:19 pm EST ![]()
New Orleans Hornets forward Pe… AP – Feb 28, 10:17 pm EST YAHOO.Sports.article_carousel_last_index = 11; YAHOO.Sports.article_carousel_lazy_images = [http://d.yimg.com/a/p/ap/20100301/capt.7e28378644b446eab0e20ada0374a00b.hornets_mavericks_basketball_dna111.jpg?x=180&y=200&xc=1&yc=1&wc=349&hc=388&q=70&sig=0mRpAeHHQ5NunT74Zqh0Xw--,http://d.yimg.com/a/p/ap/20100301/capt.02b02ceedcbb4a979869f0d424d9033b.hornets_mavericks_basketball_dna110.jpg?x=180&y=200&xc=1&yc=1&wc=254&hc=282&q=70&sig=k0q1jSOYbt30DCXIkU.UkQ--,http://d.yimg.com/a/p/ap/20100301/capt.3dde3ec68bfa401c97bdf9fb5b92e729.hornets_mavericks_basketball_dna109.jpg?x=180&y=200&xc=1&yc=1&wc=281&hc=312&q=70&sig=loK4B5Cm8DKtt69LU2O3iQ--,http://d.yimg.com/a/p/ap/20100301/capt.57e3381d09774a0b9e823b858c8e5d3f.hornets_mavericks_basketball_dna108.jpg?x=180&y=200&xc=1&yc=1&wc=255&hc=283&q=70&sig=hbwbf_14LTyvL_hnhfj63g--,http://d.yimg.com/a/p/ap/20100301/capt.525d70fe3b9f4efbb39b46b1defabe2f.hornets_mavericks_basketball_dna107.jpg?x=180&y=200&xc=1&yc=1&wc=295&hc=328&q=70&sig=9YPEfcZJoe_Uefy4AtQYGQ--,http://d.yimg.com/a/p/ap/20100301/capt.0f3c1658ca7e45768f0a3ec3d827d90f.hornets_mavericks_basketball_dna106.jpg?x=180&y=200&xc=1&yc=1&wc=329&hc=366&q=70&sig=QPfHS6PW8v6X5Own4imqJA--,http://d.yimg.com/a/p/ap/20100301/capt.9fc29a10cf54463eab6c10253682210b.hornets_mavericks_basketball_dna105.jpg?x=180&y=200&xc=1&yc=1&wc=349&hc=388&q=70&sig=iEg.yQCceK65njjbUQvilA--,http://d.yimg.com/a/p/ap/20100301/capt.d8e2f9ecce6944e8ba8f4ac97876a85b.hornets_mavericks_basketball_dna103.jpg?x=180&y=200&xc=1&yc=1&wc=266&hc=296&q=70&sig=ZsK5VcEbMksO8yxa1wrxNg--,http://d.yimg.com/a/p/ap/20100301/capt.68146ecc094b43ac8881b91e940f5678.hornets_mavericks_basketball_dna104.jpg?x=180&y=200&xc=1&yc=1&wc=306&hc=340&q=70&sig=GOAocQkr1QOXkDYKZOmCBg--,http://d.yimg.com/a/p/ap/20100301/capt.eda0ddd6b5074262b97a33726ee8815c.hornets_mavericks_basketball_dna102.jpg?x=180&y=200&xc=1&yc=1&wc=349&hc=388&q=70&sig=QNGKWR_KNI8CvEo7_s6QGw--,http://d.yimg.com/a/p/ap/20100301/capt.2e9a7b9488184d7f9ac0b4aabd34d01b.hornets_mavericks_basketball_dna101.jpg?x=180&y=200&xc=1&yc=1&wc=333&hc=370&q=70&sig=Y1HN4OV27UJ.n3QRXr_LMg--]; YAHOO.util.Event.addListener(window,load,YAHOO.Sports.articleLazyLoadCarousel.init); 1 of 12 NO-Dal Gallery function prev_photo() { if (YAHOO.Sports.article_carousel_current_index > 0) { goto_photo(YAHOO.Sports.article_carousel_current_index – 1); } else { goto_photo(YAHOO.Sports.article_carousel_last_index); }}function next_photo() { if (YAHOO.Sports.article_carousel_current_index 0) { YAHOO.util.Dom.addClass(article_carousel_prev, prev); YAHOO.util.Dom.removeClass(article_carousel_prev, prev_disabled); } else { YAHOO.util.Dom.addClass(article_carousel_prev, prev_disabled); YAHOO.util.Dom.removeClass(article_carousel_prev, prev); } if (YAHOO.Sports.article_carousel_current_index < YAHOO.Sports.article_carousel_last_index) { YAHOO.util.Dom.addClass(article_carousel_next, next); YAHOO.util.Dom.removeClass(article_carousel_next, next_disabled); } else { YAHOO.util.Dom.addClass(article_carousel_next, next_disabled); YAHOO.util.Dom.removeClass(article_carousel_next, next); }*/}function goto_photo(p) { if (YAHOO.Sports.article_carousel_photos) { for(i = 0; i < YAHOO.Sports.article_carousel_photos.length; i++) { if (i == p) { YAHOO.util.Dom.setStyle(YAHOO.Sports.article_carousel_photos[i], display, ); } else { YAHOO.util.Dom.setStyle(YAHOO.Sports.article_carousel_photos[i], display, none); } } if (YAHOO.Sports.article_carousel_current_page) { YAHOO.Sports.article_carousel_current_page.innerHTML =(p + 1); YAHOO.Sports.article_carousel_current_index = p; } } update_buttons();}YAHOO.Sports.article_carousel_init = function () { YAHOO.util.Event.addListener(article_carousel_prev, click, prev_photo); YAHOO.util.Event.addListener(article_carousel_next, click, next_photo); YAHOO.Sports.article_carousel_current_index = 0; YAHOO.Sports.article_carousel_current_page = YAHOO.util.Dom.get(carousel_page); YAHOO.Sports.article_carousel_photos = YAHOO.util.Dom.getElementsByClassName(item, div, leadphoto); if (YAHOO.Sports.article_carousel_photos) { goto_photo(0); }}YAHOO.Sports.article_carousel_init();
Butler then stole the ball from Collison near midcourt and drove to thebasket, missing the layup that Brendan Haywood(notes) slammed home.
It was the third consecutive 30-point game for Nowitzki. Butler played inhis sixth game for Dallas since being traded from Washington, but had missed thelast two after having a bad reaction to some medication.
Dallas took control with a 31-6 run early and appeared to have the luxury ofa lopsided game to start a stretch of two games inside a 24-hour span. Theirgame Monday night at Charlotte starts 21 1/2 hours after Sunday’s game tipped off.
But Collison, stepping up in the absence of All-Star guard Chris Paul(notes) (leftknee injury), helped made it a tight game at the end.
New Orleans was within 86-77 after David West(notes) hit two free throws in theopening minute of the fourth quarter, closing the gap to under 10 for the firsttime since last in the first quarter.
That 19-3 run for New Orleans came during an 8-minute shooting slump forDallas, who missed 12 consecutive field goals but where still shooting 55percent for the game at that point. The Mavericks finished 52 percent from thefield (45 of 87).
Jason Terry(notes) ended the Mavericks’ shooting slump with an 18-footer, thenafter West traveled Terry passed to Nowitzki for his own 18-footer.
Two nights after scoring 40 points, West was held to 10 points on 3-of-15shooting.
Marcus Thornton(notes) had 21 points for New Orleans while Peja Stojakovic(notes) had 16.Emeka Okafor(notes) had a season-high 17 rebounds.
Jason Kidd(notes) had 13 points and passed Maurice Cheeks for fourth on the NBAcareer list with his 2,311th steal. Kidd had 10 of his points in the firstquarter.
After Stojakovic hit a 3-pointer that got New Orleans with 92-86 with justmore than 7 minutes left, Nowitzki hit a 13-foot fadeaway shot from thebaseline. Then after West got blocked on consecutive shots by Haywood before theshot clock expired, Nowitzki hit a 14-footer and then made the free throw afterHornets coach Jeff Bower got a technical foul.
Collison put the Hornets up 20-16 with a 7-foot running jumper with 5:22left in the first quarter. Nowitzki then drove for a layup that ignited the 31-6run over a nearly 8-minute span. Shawn Marion’s(notes) layup made it 47-26 with 9:14left in the first half.
NOTES: The last time Nowitzki had three consecutive 30-points games wasFebruary 2008. … Dallas played the eighth of 14 games in a 23-day span out ofthe All-Star break. … New Orleans is 6-8 without Paul. Bower said Paul isstill out “indefinitely” but is making encouraging progress. … The lastseven-game winning streak for Dallas was two seasons ago.
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