Mavericks Shoot Down Grizzlies
The Dallas Mavericks will miss the playoffs for the ninth straight season. At least they're going out on a positive streak.
Rookie Dirk Nowitzki capped a 10-2 fourth-quarter run with two baskets and the Mavericks continued their homecourt success with an 84-75 victory over the Vancouver Grizzlies on Tuesday night.
Gary Trent had 20 points and Michael Finley added 14 and a career-high six steals for the Mavericks, winners of six of their last eight at Reunion Arena.
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The Mavericks improved to 14-10 at Reunion Arena, having already clinched their first winning record at home since going 30-11 in 1989-90, the last time they made the playoffs.
"Next season we'll be able to come out confident at the start," backup center Chris Anstey said. "If we play as well at home as we have this season, we'll be on our way to a good year."
The win was Dallas' second at home in as many nights. The last time the Mavericks got victories at Reunion Arena on consecutive nights was Feb. 15-16, 1991.
The Grizzlies were undone by their 35.5 shooting percentage, the lowest by a Mavericks opponent this season.
Vancouver led 64-63 with 9:03 left when Anstey got the decisive run under way for Dallas with two free throws.
Hubert Davis' 3-pointer with 7:21 remaining gave the Mavericks the lead for good, 69-66, then Nowitzki converted two straight layups to extend the lead to 73-66.
Vancouver never got closer than five points the rest of the way.
"I thought we used our energy to get ourselves back in the game, but we didn't have enough to finish it out," Grizzlie coach Brian Hill said. "I'm not sure our focus was there right from the beginning of the game."
Mike Bibby had 22 points and Shareef Abdur-Rahim added 16 for the Grizzlies, who have lost 14 of their last 16.
Davis had 12 points and Nowitzki 11, while Shawn Bradley added 10 points and 12 rebounds for the Mavericks.
Dallas led by as many as 16 points in the second quarter and was up 45-35 at halftime. Bibby had 13 points in the first half.
Pete Chilcutt's three-point play with 2.6 seconds left in the third quarter reduced Dallas' lead to 61-59 entering the fourth quarter.
Notes: Mavericks starting point guard Steve Nash missed his sixth straight game with a lower back strain. Nash is expected to sit out the rest of the season. ... Vancouver is 2-13 all-time against Dallas. ... The Mavericks have won six of 10 overall. ... Dallas had a season-high 14 steals. ... Vancouver's 23 turnovers was the most by a Dallas opponent this season.
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