Box Score

 

DALLAS (112)

                          fg    ft    rb             
                   min   m-a   m-a   o-t   a  pf   tp
J Howard            40   4-6   2-3   0-5   1   4   11
D Nowitzki          36 11-20 11-12   0-9   5   3   36
S Bradley           26   0-1   0-2   2-7   1   2    0
M Finley            36  8-11   1-1   0-2   3   4   18
J Terry             30  4-10   3-3   1-2   7   3   12
D Harris            18   0-4   3-4   0-3   3   3    3
A Henderson          8   0-0   0-0   1-2   0   1    0
J Stackhouse        17   5-9   1-1   1-2   1   1   11
K Van Horn          26  9-17   1-1   2-4   1   1   21
M Daniels            3   0-2   0-0   0-0   0   0    0
D Armstrong        DNP  - COACH'S DECISION                               
P Podkolzin        DNP  - COACH'S DECISION                               
  
_____________________________________________________
TOTALS             240 41-80 22-27  7-36  22  22  112
_____________________________________________________

Percentages: FG-.513, FT-.815. 3-Point Goals:
8-15, .533 (J Howard 1-1, D Nowitzki 3-5, M 
Finley 1-2, J Terry 1-2, D Harris 0-2, K Van 
Horn 2-3). Team Rebounds: 10. Blocked Shots:2
(S Bradley, J Howard). Turnovers:8 (J Terry 
3, D Nowitzki 3, J Stackhouse, K Van Horn). 
Steals: 5 (J Stackhouse 3, S Bradley, D 
Nowitzki).


BOSTON (100)

                          fg    ft    rb             
                   min   m-a   m-a   o-t   a  pf   tp
A Walker            37  8-20   1-5   6-9   1   5   18
P Pierce            40  6-12   6-7   3-8   7   4   21
R LaFrentz          27  5-11   2-2   3-4   0   2   14
G Payton            35   5-9   2-2   2-7   5   3   13
T Allen             25   1-6   0-0   1-3   0   1    2
R Davis             32  7-15   4-4   0-3   2   3   18
M Blount            16   1-3   0-0   0-0   0   1    2
M Banks             13   2-4   1-2   0-0   1   3    6
K Perkins            8   1-1   0-0   1-5   0   0    2
A Jefferson          7   2-4   0-0   1-5   0   1    4
D West             DNP  - COACH'S DECISION                               
J Reed             DNP  - COACH'S DECISION                               
  
_____________________________________________________
TOTALS             240 38-85 16-22 17-44  16  23  100
_____________________________________________________

Percentages: FG-.447, FT-.727. 3-Point Goals:
8-17, .471 (A Walker 1-2, P Pierce 3-5, R 
LaFrentz 2-3, G Payton 1-2, T Allen 0-2, R 
Davis 0-1, M Banks 1-2). Team Rebounds: 7. 
Blocked Shots:3 (R LaFrentz 2, K Perkins). 
Turnovers:13 (P Pierce 3, G Payton 2, R 
LaFrentz 2, M Blount 2, R Davis, M Banks, A 
Jefferson, T Allen). Steals: 4 (A Walker 2, G
Payton, P Pierce).

--------------------------------------------
DALLAS                18  28  31  35  -  112
BOSTON                13  30  31  26  -  100
-------------------------------------------- 

Technical fouls: Dallas - 2 (D Nowitzki, 8:53
2nd; Defensive Three, 6:35 3rd). Boston - 2 
(A Walker, 8:53 2nd; R Davis, 8:53 2nd).
Flagrant fouls: None. A: 18,624. T: 2:08. 
Officials: Dan Crawford, James Capers, Kevin 
Fehr.

Extended Box

 

DALLAS (112) AT BOSTON (100)

DALLAS

                                               REBOUNDS                        
PLAYER           POS  MIN  FGM-FGA  FTM-FTA  OFF-DEF-TOT  AST  PF  ST  TO  PTS
======           ===  ===  =======  =======  ===========  ===  ==  ==  ==  ===
 
J HOWARD          F    40    4-6      2-3      0   5   5    1   4   0   0   11
D NOWITZKI        F    36   11-20    11-12     0   9   9    5   3   1   3   36
S BRADLEY         C    26    0-1      0-2      2   5   7    1   2   1   0    0
M FINLEY          G    36    8-11     1-1      0   2   2    3   4   0   0   18
J TERRY           G    30    4-10     3-3      1   1   2    7   3   0   3   12
D HARRIS               18    0-4      3-4      0   3   3    3   3   0   0    3
A HENDERSON             8    0-0      0-0      1   1   2    0   1   0   0    0
J STACKHOUSE           17    5-9      1-1      1   1   2    1   1   3   1   11
K VAN HORN             26    9-17     1-1      2   2   4    1   1   0   1   21
M DANIELS               3    0-2      0-0      0   0   0    0   0   0   0    0
D ARMSTRONG           DNP  - COACH'S DECISION                                         
P PODKOLZIN           DNP  - COACH'S DECISION                                         
  
TOTALS                240   41-80    22-27     7  29  36   22  22   5   8  112
                            (.513)  (.815)  TEAM REBS: 10 TOTAL TO: 10 (12 PTS)    

BOSTON

                                               REBOUNDS                         
PLAYER           POS  MIN  FGM-FGA  FTM-FTA  OFF-DEF-TOT  AST  PF  ST  TO  PTS
======           ===  ===  =======  =======  ===========  ===  ==  ==  ==  ===
 
A WALKER          F    37    8-20     1-5      6   3   9    1   5   2   0   18
P PIERCE          F    40    6-12     6-7      3   5   8    7   4   1   3   21
R LAFRENTZ        C    27    5-11     2-2      3   1   4    0   2   0   2   14
G PAYTON          G    35    5-9      2-2      2   5   7    5   3   1   2   13
T ALLEN           G    25    1-6      0-0      1   2   3    0   1   0   1    2
R DAVIS                32    7-15     4-4      0   3   3    2   3   0   1   18
M BLOUNT               16    1-3      0-0      0   0   0    0   1   0   2    2
M BANKS                13    2-4      1-2      0   0   0    1   3   0   1    6
K PERKINS               8    1-1      0-0      1   4   5    0   0   0   0    2
A JEFFERSON             7    2-4      0-0      1   4   5    0   1   0   1    4
D WEST                DNP  - COACH'S DECISION                                         
J REED                DNP  - COACH'S DECISION                                         
  
TOTALS                240   38-85    16-22    17  27  44   16  23   4  13  100
                            (.447)  (.727)  TEAM REBS:  7 TOTAL TO: 15 (16 PTS)    
  
   DALLAS             18   28   31   35   -   112
   BOSTON             13   30   31   26   -   100
  
BLOCKED SHOTS: DALLAS - S BRADLEY, J HOWARD.  BOSTON - R LAFRENTZ 2,
K PERKINS.
3-PT. FIELD GOALS: DALLAS 8-15 (.533), J HOWARD 1-1, D NOWITZKI 3-
5, M FINLEY 1-2, J TERRY 1-2, D HARRIS 0-2, K VAN HORN 2-3. BOSTON 8-
17 (.471), A WALKER 1-2, P PIERCE 3-5, R LAFRENTZ 2-3, G PAYTON 1-
2, T ALLEN 0-2, R DAVIS 0-1, M BANKS 1-2.
TECHNICAL FOULS: DALLAS - D NOWITZKI, DEFENSIVE THREE. BOSTON - A 
WALKER, R DAVIS.
FLAGRANT FOULS: NONE.
OFFICIALS: DAN CRAWFORD, JAMES CAPERS, KEVIN FEHR.
A - 18,624. T - 2:08.

Game Story

BOSTON (Ticker) -- Dirk Nowitzki's teammates built the lead 
before he returned to maintain it.

Nowitzki scored 36 points and made a series of big baskets down
the stretch as the Dallas Mavericks won their third straight
game, a 112-100 victory over the slumping Boston Celtics.

Nowitzki was his usual unstoppable self, making 11-of-20 shots
and 11-of-12 free throws.  But he was taking a breather early in
the fourth quarter, when reserves Keith Van Horn and Jerry
Stackhouse sparked a decisive run.

"Dirk is a tough matchup for anybody," said Celtics forward Paul
Pierce, who was assigned to Nowitzki most of the game.  "When
he really gets it going, they're tough to stop because then you
get to focusing so much on him that you tend to forget about the
other guys and those guys can hurt you.

"They're a team that's won 50 games over the last three or four
years, and when you play a team like that, you've got to come
with your A game.  We were in the game most of the game and then
down the stretch, they extended the lead and we were just out
of it."

A tough scoop layup by Stackhouse gave Dallas an 82-78 lead and
triggered a 17-4 surge over the next 5 1/2 minutes.  Van Horn
drained a jumper and 3-pointer before a pair of steals by
Stackhouse led to layups that pushed the advantage to 94-80 with
6:40 to go.

"He's been steady," Mavericks coach Avery Johnson said.  "I've
been trying to keep him around 18 to 24 minutes.  He's been
creeping up to 26 the last two games and I think that's good
enough.  I'm really happy that Dirk only played 36 minutes
tonight, because I feel that if he can play 36 minutes, he'll be
strong in the fourth quarter."

Two jumpers by Michael Finley and a free throw by rookie Devin
Harris capped the run at 99-82 with 4:34 remaining. Facing their
fourth straight loss, the Celtics tried to make a final push
but were turned back by Nowitzki.

The 7-footer answered Raef LaFrentz's 3-pointer with a jumper.
After three straight hoops by Antoine Walker, Nowitzki sank a
jumper while drawing a foul from Walker.

"I knew when he hit that step-back jump shot off the left foot
that he was feeling pretty good," Van Horn said.  "He just
played an overall great game for us."

After LaFrentz made a three-point play, Nowitzki dribbled him
down from midcourt to the arc and buried a 3-pointer that made
it 107-95 with 1:22 left.

"It was one of those nights where it all felt good," Nowitzki
said.  "Offense can come and go but our defense has to be solid,
especially down the stretch."

Van Horn scored 21 points and Finley added 18 for Dallas
(48-23), which shook off an 18-point first quarter and improved
to 7-1 under Johnson.

"Part of my job on this team is to not have any letdowns when
Dirk comes out of a game," Van Horn said.

Stackhouse, playing his first game since March 6, scored 11
points.

"Every game is going to be like that, a bump and grind,"
Stackhouse said.  "Every team, when we get to that caliber of
team (in the playoffs), is going to hang around and we're going
to need to step it up.  The last five minutes is the time to do
that, but it kicked in a little earlier tonight."

Pierce scored 21 points and Walker and Ricky Davis added 18
apiece for Boston (38-33), which all of a sudden is struggling.
The Atlantic Division leaders have lost four in a row for the
first time since November 23-28.

"It's tough, especially this time of year," Pierce said.  "It's
our fourth loss in a row and we're not really playing well, and
it's the wrong time of year."

"I thought we lost to a better team tonight, to be honest,
especially the way we played," added Celtics coach Doc Rivers,
who spoke to the team in an extended postgame address.  "I
didn't read them the riot act, but we had a little talk.  I
thought for the most part it was a pretty good, fruitful
meeting.  Bottom line is I told them we've got to keep working."