Nowitzki stars as the Mavericks romp to their 11th consecutive win
The Dallas Mavericks stretched their winning streak to 11 games with a 102-89 victory over the New Jersey Nets at American Airlines Center in Dallas. Nearly 20,000 supporters witnessed the home sides’ sizzling performance. The Nets have now lost six straight,
and 11 in a row on the road.
Key Performers
Dirk Nowitzki played the leading role in the Mavericks’ victory, with a team-high 21 points and 10 rebounds. Shawn Marion posted 18 points. Jason Terry and Caron Butler added 15 points apiece, and J.J. Barea had a career-high 13 assists to help the Mavericks
extend the National Basketball Association’s (NBA) longest current winning streak.
Brook Lopez did all he could and led the scoring for New Jersey with 24 points, Anthony Morrow had 21, while Kris Humphries finished with 16 points and 13 rebounds in the defeat.
The game
Dallas looked in full control of the game from the start and ended the first quarter 30-19, with an 11-point lead. Dallas shot 72 percent from the floor (13 for 18), and Caron Butler was the Mavericks leading scorer with nine points.
In the second quarter the Mavericks stepped their game up further, scoring 25 points while restricting the Nets to just 21 points. Shawn Marion scored 14 in the first half to give his side a 15 point lead at the break (55-40).
After the interval, the Mavericks pushed their lead to 21 points, but the Nets cut it to 79-69 with a 28-17 run over the final ten minutes of the third quarter. The Nets caught up by driving to the basket but were being fouled, going 15 for 18 from the free
throw line in the third quarter.
New Jersey crept within eight points of the Mavericks early in the final quarter at 81-73, but Terry's basket with six minutes on the clock, capped a 13-3 run for a 94-78 lead. With time running out, Jason Kidd hit a 3-pointer at the buzzer.
Net Jersey Nets’ Unsung Stars
New Jersey was without rookie forward Derrick Favors, who is under day-to-day observation due to a bruised thigh, and was sorely missed on the night.
Point guard/shooting guard Devin Harris gave a gritty performance, but was injured when he fell to the floor while trying to deflect an alley-oop pass and fell to the floor.
Tags: