Dirk Nowitzki put together a virtuoso
performance in the fourth quarter, erupting for a team-record 29 points in the
final stanza to single-handedly carry Dallas to a 96-85 come-from-behind win
over the Utah Jazz.
Dallas trailed by 16 points in the fourth before mounting the miraculous
comeback on the shoulders of the German sharp-shooter. Nowitzki finished with
40 points, 11 rebounds, five assists and five blocks for the victors. He made
all 14 of his foul shots in the last quarter and missed just one of his eight
field goal tries during the stanza.
Jason Kidd chipped in 19 points and six assists for the Mavericks, who have
won three straight since a season-opening loss to Washington.
Deron Williams tallied 22 points and Mehmet Okur contributed 14 points and 14
rebounds to pace Utah, which has lost three of four to start the season.
The Jazz were on their way to just their third win in 16 games at American
Airlines Center, holding a seemingly comfortable 76-60 lead with just over
eight minutes remaining in the game.
Shawn Marion hit a layup, and Nowitzki outscored Utah, 14-3, over the next
two-plus minutes, the last coming on a three-pointer to cut Dallas' deficit to
79-76 with 4:41 showing.
Carlos Boozer hit a pair of buckets around a Jason Terry basket, but Nowitzki
answered with an off-balanced runner while being fouled.
After hitting the free throw and grabbing a rebound off a Williams missed
three, Nowitzki converted a give-and-go with Kidd to tie the game, 83-83. His
stepback jumper on the next possession gave the hosts the lead near the two-
minute mark.
With the ball flowing through him on every touch, Nowitzki hit two free
throws, blocked a driving Andrei Kirilenko and found an open Kidd on the right
wing for a three and a sudden 90-83 advantage with 50.8 seconds to play.
Williams was blocked by Erick Dampier -- his sixth of the game -- at the other
end, and the Mavs hit their free throws down the stretch, much to the delight
of the raucous home crowd.
Utah made just one field goal over the final 3:49.
After an anemic first quarter, the Jazz led, 20-17, and the second frame was
much of the same. Williams' jumper gave the visitors a 37-35 lead, but neither
team scored in the final three minutes of the half.
Williams drained a three-pointer to polish off an 11-2 run near the four-
minute mark of the third. Dallas hit another cold stretch after back-to-back
field goals, and Utah rattled off the quarter's final nine points, the last
coming off Kyrylo Fesenko's slam for a 67-52 advantage.
Game Notes
Nowitzki's 29 points in the fourth was the most for a Mavericks player in any
quarter, topping Mark Aguirre's 24-point effort on March, 24, 1984...Kirilenko
and Boozer each netted 12 points for Utah...Marion and Terry each tallied 10
points for the Mavs, who won the battle on the glass, 50-37...Dampier pulled
down 12 rebounds.
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