Finley Leads Mavs Over Suns

Michael Finley gave the Dallas Mavericks what they've been waiting for.

Finley scored a season-high 36 points, including the go-ahead jumper with 6.5 seconds left, as the injury-depleted Mavericks ended Phoenix's three-game winning streak 104-100.

Finley has been a disappointment in the first year of a five-year, $42 million contract. Tuesday night's performance was what the Mavericks envisioned when they gave Finley the lucrative new deal.

"That hasn't happened too often, so we're really glad to get it," Mavericks coach Don Nelson said of Finley's big night. "Tonight he was able to drive to the basket, and he also had his outside shot working so the defense had to honor that, too."

Finley is finishing the season with a flourish, averaging 25 points and shooting 53.6 percent from the field. On Tuesday night, Finley went 14-for-25 from the field and added 10 rebounds and four assists.

"Michael Finley carried us the whole game," Nelson said. "We called his number a lot."

With the game tied at 100, Finley worked the clock inside seven seconds and hit a 17-footer to bring the Mavericks back from an 18-point third-quarter deficit.

Erick Strickland deflected the ensuing inbounds pass by Phoenix's Jason Kidd and Dallas' Chris Anstey collected the loose ball with 3.6 seconds left. Finley made two free throws with 2.6 to play.

Kidd and Clifford Robinson had 17 points each for the Suns, who had a nine-game winning streak against the Mavericks snapped.

Danny Manning added 16 points, Tom Gugliotta had 15 and Rex Chapman 13 as the Suns lost momentum in a bid to strengthen their hold on a Western Conference playoff spot.

Suns coach Danny Ainge said his team let up in the stretch.

"We had control of the game and we got comfortable with the lead that we had," Ainge said "We're not playing with the energy we need to finish the game off."

Finley said Dallas' 14th victory was the most satisfying of the season.

"It was the best because those guys don't respect us," said Finley, who played all 48 minutes. "We wanted to make a statement."

Hubert Davis had a season-high 18 points and rookie Dirk Nowitzki added 13 before fouling out for Dallas, which had lost five of its previous seven.

The Mavericks were without injured starters Gary Trent (sore hamstring) and Steve Nash (back spasms), and Nelson started youngsters Nowitzki, Samaki Walker and Anstey.

The Suns were ahead 93-80 early in the fourth quarter, but Finley and Strickland led a 14-2 run with five points each. Shawn Bradley's follow with 4:12 left reduced the deficit to 95-94.

Dallas had trailed since the game's first basket, but the Mavericks took a 100-99 lead on Finley's 20-footer with 1:40 to play.

Manning made one of two free throws with 28.5 seconds remaining to tie it at 100.

Phoenix took a 61-49 halftime lead behind Kidd's 13 points and the Suns' 54 percent shooting (25-for-46).

The Suns pushed the advantage to as many as 18 in the third quarter before the Mavericks reduced the deficit to 84-72 entering the final quarter with an 8-0 run over the final 1:44 of the third.Notes: Suns center Luc Longley missed his sixth straight game due to a hyperextended knee. ... Seldom-used center John "Hot Rod" Williams also sat out for the Mavericks with back spasms. ... Phoenix had beaten Dallas in 26 of the last 28 meetings. ...The victory was Dallas' first over Phoenix since Feb. 26, 1997. ...Dallas is 6-1 when scoring 100 or more points and 4-0 when shooting 50 percent or better.

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