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NBA: Mavs top Knicks
By David Jimenez, Associated Press Writer
Friday, January 09, 2009 | No comments posted.
DALLAS — The Dallas Mavericks aren’t concerned with style points. They’re just happy to be racking up victories.
With Dirk Nowitzki not feeling well, the Mavericks had to rally again to beat another sub-.500 team, this time holding off the New York Knicks 99-94 on Thursday night.
“I hear a lot of people talk about how it would be nice to have some easy games,” Mavericks coach Rick Carlisle said. “I don’t look at it that way. This is the most competitive year from top to bottom I’ve seen.”
Dallas has won five of six and all of those games have come against teams with losing records — most with dramatic finishes.
On Dec. 30, the Mavericks came back from 29 down to stun the Minnesota Timberwolves and then rallied to beat Philadelphia three days later. Dallas also needed an 11-1 game-ending run Tuesday to beat the Los Angeles Clippers.
The Knicks led by 11 in the first half and were up through most of the first three quarters.
“We don’t panic as a team,” said Jason Kidd, who scored 16 points and made a couple of big shots in the fourth quarter. “We believe in our defense. That’s what won the game for us.”
Nowitzki, the NBA’s fourth-leading scorer, was 3-of-13 from the floor and scored 10 points, just two above his season low.
Carlisle said after the game Nowitzki played with a fever of 101 degrees. The Dallas star shrugged it off, saying he had a head cold, and that his performance had more to do with the Knicks throwing constant double teams at him.
Nowitzki missed his final seven shots.
“When Dirk is drawing double-team attention like he is, other guys have to step up and knock down shots,” guard Jason Terry said. “If they’re going to continue to play us like that, we’ve got to step up and make some shots.”
Nowitzki found Kidd open for a 24-foot jumper that put the Mavericks on top 87-86 with 5:44 left. Kidd, who had 16 points on 6-of-15 shooting, nailed a 3-pointer with 4:11 remaining to put the Mavericks up 93-89.
“Give Jason Kidd credit,” said Knicks forward David Lee, who had his seventh double-double in a row with 13 points and 15 rebounds. “He hit some big shots down the stretch.”
The Mavericks have beaten the Knicks nine straight times in Dallas. New York hasn’t won on the Mavericks’ home court since a 100-93 victory on Dec. 16, 1999, back when Dallas played a couple of miles down the road in Reunion Arena.
Knicks center Eddy Curry, who missed the first 33 games with a knee injury, saw his first action of the season. He entered with 2:42 left in the first quarter and scored on a layup just over a minute later.
That was Curry’s only shot attempt in 21⁄2 minutes of action. He also grabbed two rebounds.
“It’s nice to be back and have an opportunity to play,” Curry said. “I’m going to keep plugging away and practicing hard.”
Chris Duhon hit his first nine shots and scored 24 points, and Wilson Chandler added 20 for the Knicks, who have lost two in a row since beating defending champion Boston on Sunday.
Josh Howard led six Dallas players in double figures with 19 points. Antoine Wright had 13 points, Brandon Bass added 12 and Terry 10.
Spurs 106, Clippers 84
At San Antonio, Tony Parker scored 19 points and San Antonio beat the skidding Los Angeles Clippers 106-84 on Thursday night, giving the Spurs their ninth win in the past 10 games despite getting only eight points from Tim Duncan.
The Clippers have lost nine straight.
The Spurs (24-11), winners of three consecutive games, have a 11⁄2-game lead over second-place New Orleans in the Southwest Division.
Roger Mason added 18 points for the Spurs. Michael Finley had 15 and Manu Ginobili 13 off the bench. Matt Bonner scored 11.
Though Duncan fell short of double figures in points and rebounds (four), he led the Spurs with nine assists.
The Clippers (8-27) got 21 points each from Eric Gordon and Al Thornton.
With Dirk Nowitzki not feeling well, the Mavericks had to rally again to beat another sub-.500 team, this time holding off the New York Knicks 99-94 on Thursday night.
“I hear a lot of people talk about how it would be nice to have some easy games,” Mavericks coach Rick Carlisle said. “I don’t look at it that way. This is the most competitive year from top to bottom I’ve seen.”
Dallas has won five of six and all of those games have come against teams with losing records — most with dramatic finishes.
On Dec. 30, the Mavericks came back from 29 down to stun the Minnesota Timberwolves and then rallied to beat Philadelphia three days later. Dallas also needed an 11-1 game-ending run Tuesday to beat the Los Angeles Clippers.
The Knicks led by 11 in the first half and were up through most of the first three quarters.
“We don’t panic as a team,” said Jason Kidd, who scored 16 points and made a couple of big shots in the fourth quarter. “We believe in our defense. That’s what won the game for us.”
Nowitzki, the NBA’s fourth-leading scorer, was 3-of-13 from the floor and scored 10 points, just two above his season low.
Carlisle said after the game Nowitzki played with a fever of 101 degrees. The Dallas star shrugged it off, saying he had a head cold, and that his performance had more to do with the Knicks throwing constant double teams at him.
Nowitzki missed his final seven shots.
“When Dirk is drawing double-team attention like he is, other guys have to step up and knock down shots,” guard Jason Terry said. “If they’re going to continue to play us like that, we’ve got to step up and make some shots.”
Nowitzki found Kidd open for a 24-foot jumper that put the Mavericks on top 87-86 with 5:44 left. Kidd, who had 16 points on 6-of-15 shooting, nailed a 3-pointer with 4:11 remaining to put the Mavericks up 93-89.
“Give Jason Kidd credit,” said Knicks forward David Lee, who had his seventh double-double in a row with 13 points and 15 rebounds. “He hit some big shots down the stretch.”
The Mavericks have beaten the Knicks nine straight times in Dallas. New York hasn’t won on the Mavericks’ home court since a 100-93 victory on Dec. 16, 1999, back when Dallas played a couple of miles down the road in Reunion Arena.
Knicks center Eddy Curry, who missed the first 33 games with a knee injury, saw his first action of the season. He entered with 2:42 left in the first quarter and scored on a layup just over a minute later.
That was Curry’s only shot attempt in 21⁄2 minutes of action. He also grabbed two rebounds.
“It’s nice to be back and have an opportunity to play,” Curry said. “I’m going to keep plugging away and practicing hard.”
Chris Duhon hit his first nine shots and scored 24 points, and Wilson Chandler added 20 for the Knicks, who have lost two in a row since beating defending champion Boston on Sunday.
Josh Howard led six Dallas players in double figures with 19 points. Antoine Wright had 13 points, Brandon Bass added 12 and Terry 10.
Spurs 106, Clippers 84
At San Antonio, Tony Parker scored 19 points and San Antonio beat the skidding Los Angeles Clippers 106-84 on Thursday night, giving the Spurs their ninth win in the past 10 games despite getting only eight points from Tim Duncan.
The Clippers have lost nine straight.
The Spurs (24-11), winners of three consecutive games, have a 11⁄2-game lead over second-place New Orleans in the Southwest Division.
Roger Mason added 18 points for the Spurs. Michael Finley had 15 and Manu Ginobili 13 off the bench. Matt Bonner scored 11.
Though Duncan fell short of double figures in points and rebounds (four), he led the Spurs with nine assists.
The Clippers (8-27) got 21 points each from Eric Gordon and Al Thornton.
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