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Mavs hold off Jazz

Nov 23, 2013 - 4:59 AM Dallas, TX (SportsNetwork.com) - Monta Ellis scored a game-high 26 points and the Dallas Mavericks used a huge first half to beat the Utah Jazz, 103-93, at American Airlines Center.

Dirk Nowitzki and Samuel Dalembert each netted 18 points in the win. Dalembert was 8-for-8 from the field and grabbed 12 rebounds.

"The key for us was probably from the get-go getting a good start," Dalembert said. "We know with the other teams we have we can't let them get their confidence back up."

Dallas led 58-34 at halftime and led by as many as 28 in the first half before the Jazz chipped away at the lead in the second half, cutting the deficit to 90-85 with 4:42 left in the game after a Derrick Favors dunk. Jose Calderon answered 19 seconds later with a 3-pointer as Dallas held on for its fourth consecutive win.

Marvin Williams scored a team-high 19 points off the bench for Utah, and Jeremy Evans scored 14 points off the pine on 7-of-7 shooting.

Gordon Heyward and Favors each added 13 points in the loss.

Utah outscored Dallas 30-22 in the third quarter to pull within 16 entering the final stanza.

The Jazz then used an 8-0 run in the opening 2:30 of the fourth to cut the deficit to 80-72. Williams scored the first basket of the run with a running floater and Diante Garrett capped the spurt with back-to-back jumpers.

Dallas pushed the lead back to double-digits. 90-79, after an Ellis layup with just under seven minutes to play.

Heyward then started the quick 6-0 run, which was capped by Favors with a smooth reverse layup.

Calderon's 3 set off a 10-2 Dallas run that extended the lead to 100-87 with 2 1/2 minutes left.

"I thought they (Dallas) were the aggressor in the first half," said Utah head coach Tyrone Corbin. "One thing we have to (do) - we have to play with energy and a sense of urgency. I didn't think we had it in the first half."

Favors opened the game with a layup, but the Mavericks went on a 9-0 run and built their lead to as many as 15 in the first after a Vince Carter 3-pointer. The Jazz trailed 31-18 after one.

The Dallas lead swelled to 28 after a pair of free throws from Ellis late in the second quarter and the Mavericks owned a 58-34 advantage at halftime.

Game Notes

Dallas has not lost at home (7-0) ... Utah is winless on the road (0-8) ... Dallas opens a home-and-home in Denver against the Nuggets on Saturday ... Utah travels will visit the Oklahoma City Thunder on Sunday.