Mavs top Cavaliers for 14th consecutive win
(Reuters)Updated: 2007-03-02 16:13
NEW YORK - The Dallas Mavericks held off a furious comeback bid by the Cleveland Cavaliers to eke out a 95-92 victory on Thursday, tying a franchise-record with their 14th consecutive win.
 Dallas Mavericks forward Dirk Nowitzki (R) of Germany drives towards the basket against Cleveland Cavaliers center Anderson Varejao of Brazil in the second half of their NBA basketball game in Dallas, Texas, March 1, 2007. [Reuters] |
Dirk Nowitzki scored 24 points and had 11 rebounds as Dallas (49-9) matched the mark they set in 2002.
Cleveland, behind LeBron James's 39 points, trimmed a 12-point Dallas lead to three in the final quarter, but the Cavaliers were unable to get any closer as James missed two free throws and two three-point attempts in the final 13 seconds.
"He was great all night, so I thought one of them for sure was going in," Nowitzki told reporters after the game.
"We dodged a bullet there, obviously."
Dallas, which had five players in double figures, never trailed after taking a 25-23 lead with a minute remaining in the first quarter, but Cleveland and James made it interesting.
After Jason Terry's three-pointer gave Dallas an 87-75 advantage with 6:52 left in the game, the Cavaliers outscored the Mavericks 17-8.
James had 11 of those points, but suddenly went cold in the closing seconds.
He missed two free throws with 13 seconds to go and the score 95-92, then misfired on a pair of long-range attempts at four seconds and just before the buzzer.
"Same two looks that I got the last game against the Hornets, and I was able to bury them," James told reporters.
"They were some good looks. I thought both of them were going down. I'll take that shot any day."
James made 17-of-24 shots from the floor. Donyell Marshall added 14 points and Aleksandar Pavlovic scored 11 for Cleveland.
Terry followed Nowitzki with 20 for Dallas. Josh Howard added 17 and Jerry Stackhouse and Erick Dampier scored 10 each.
*Rashard Lewis scored 31 points as the Seattle SuperSonics edged the Los Angeles Clippers 77-75 at home. Ray Allen, Seattle's leading scorer, missed the game with an ankle injury, the team said.
*The Portland Trail Blazers held the Charlotte Bobcats to 16 points in the first quarter and roared to a 127-90 home victory. Lamarcus Aldridge scored 30 points and Zack Randolph and Martell Webster had 20 each for Portland.
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