• Preview
• Recap
• Bleachers
• Game Tracker

Nowitzki leads Mavs over Celtics

Jan 12, 2012 - 4:41 AM Boston, MA (Sports Network) - Dirk Nowitzki's three-point play with 5.1 seconds left lifted the Dallas Mavericks to a 90-85 win over the Boston Celtics on Wednesday.

Paul Pierce nailed a three-pointer -- his first field goal since the first quarter -- to tie the contest, 85-85, with 25 seconds to play.

On Dallas' ensuing possession, Nowitzki aggressively drove on Kevin Garnett and with he and Brandon Bass draped all over him, he somehow got the layup to fall. He hit the free throw to make it 88-85 with 5.1 left.

Ray Allen lost the ball out of bounds on the other end, and Jason Terry's layup sealed it.

Terry had 18 points and four steals while Nowitzki finished with 16 points, seven rebounds and four assists for the Mavericks, who have won three straight and five of six.

Rajon Rondo had 24 points and seven assists to pace Boston, which lost its second straight since winning four in a row.

With the Celtics up, 45-42, with 10:34 to go in the third quarter, Mavericks head coach Rick Carlisle picked up back-to-back technical fouls when he frantically ran down the sideline and over midcourt while arguing with the officials on a non-foul call of Nowitzki.

Allen hit on both technicals, but Carlisle's ejection seemed to spark the Mavericks as they went on a 24-6 run, capped by a Terry three-pointer to give Dallas a 66-53 advantage.

The Mavericks took a 68-59 lead into the fourth.

The Celtics used a 9-2 spurt to tie the contest, 77-77, midway through the final stanza.

A few minutes later, Terry netted five straight points to put Dallas back up by five, 84-79.

Pierce made 1-of-2 from the line and Garnett's dunk made it 84-82 with 1:23 to play.

Delonte West -- who hadn't missed a free throw all season long -- had a chance to put Dallas up by four, but hit just 1-of-2 to make it 85-82 with 1:09 left.

The Celtics came out ice cold, misfiring on 10 of their first 11 shots as the Mavericks jumped out to a 10-2 advantage midway through the first quarter. Dallas led 23-15 after one quarter as eight different players scored for the Mavericks in the opening period.

Boston, which shot 61.5 percent in the second stanza, trailed by just one at the half, 42-41. Rondo led all first-half scores with 16 points.

Game Notes

Dallas won for the second straight time on the road after losing its previous three. The Mavericks are in the midst of playing six of eight away from Big D...Pierce is one game shy of tying Kevin McHale (971) for third on the franchise's all-time games played list.