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Tuesday, Mar. 21 8:30pm ET
Mavs beat Spurs for 2nd time in 5 days | |||||
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RECAP
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BOX SCORE
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 GAME FLOW
DALLAS (AP) -- With the clock winding down, the San Antonio Spurs were worried about a long jumper from Dallas' Dirk Nowitzki. That left Mavericks guard Erick Strickland free to collect the game-winning garbage basket. Strickland's follow shot at the buzzer completed a 22-point comeback as the Mavericks beat the Spurs for the second time in five days, 97-96 on Tuesday night. "I just wanted to be there in case anything happened," said Strickland after the Mavericks' biggest home comeback in franchise history. "I figured if there was a long rebound, I would be in position and I saw it coming. I didn't know if I had enough time to touch it back up and fortunately I did." Tim Duncan's tip-in with 13.2 seconds left had given the Spurs a 96-95 advantage. Dallas worked for the last shot, and Nowitzki's 18-foot jumper out of the right corner sailed over the rim. But Strickland was free on the weak side to catch the ball and guide it through the basket as the final buzzer sounded. "I didn't know how much time was left," said Nowitzki. "I was just trying to get the ball to the rim but I didn't know if it had a chance to go in. It was a bad shot and I was glad to see Erick there for the rebound." Teammates mobbed Strickland as the Mavericks celebrated one of their most emotional victories of the season. "We've been working on that last play all year long, that airball pass," said a kidding Mavericks coach Don Nelson. "There was a little luck to go with it. David slew Goliath." David Robinson had 30 points and 17 rebounds and Duncan added 26 points and 12 rebounds, but the defending league champions were undone by a third-quarter offensive meltdown during which they scored only 10 points. Michael Finley's 24 points and Strickland's 14 paced the Mavericks, who have won five of their last six. Nowitzki added 13 points and Greg Buckner scored 12 off the bench for the Mavericks. The Mavericks pounded the Spurs on March 16 at San Antonio, 110-88. This time, the Spurs felt they squandered a sure victory. "There are some nights when the other team is is hitting everything," Duncan said. "Tonight was one we gave away and that hurts." Mario Elie's 20-foot corner jumper with 59 seconds left had given the Spurs a 94-92 advantage, but Finley's 3-pointer with 40.5 seconds remaining put the Mavericks in front, 95-94. The Mavericks took advantage of the Spurs' offensive woes to trim a 22-point second-quarter deficit (60-38) to 70-65 entering the final quarter. San Antonio's halfcourt offense bogged down in the third quarter, with the Spurs managing only two field goals, matching the club record for fewest in any quarter. Avery Johnson had San Antonio's only two baskets of the third quarter while the Spurs were being outscored 22-10. The Spurs shot only 16.7 percent (2-for-12) in the third quarter. The Mavericks weren't much better, but their 8-for-26 shooting was good enough to get them back in the game. "The third quarter was a bit of a low and then we couldn't make the stops we needed in the fourth quarter," Duncan said. Dallas opened the final quarter with a 7-0 run for a 72-70 lead, and neither team was in front by more than three the rest of the way.
Game notes | ALSO SEE NBA Scoreboard San Antonio Clubhouse Dallas Clubhouse RECAPS New Jersey 100 Toronto 93
Dallas 97
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