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Suns edge Mavericks

Mar 9, 2012 - 8:34 AM Phoenix, AZ (Sports Network) - Jared Dudley scored 18 and Marcin Gortat had 16 and 12 rebounds, as the Suns came back to down the Mavericks, 96-94, on Thursday.

Grant Hill added 15, Steve Nash finished with 11 points and 11 assists and Hakim Warrick scored nine off the bench for the Suns, who trailed by as many as 12 in the third quarter. They have won six of their last eight games.

Dirk Nowitzki and Vince Carter had 18 points apiece to pace the Mavericks, who had won their previous eight against Phoenix. They scored seven straight to close the game, but Rodrigue Beaubois missed two potential tying shots in the final seconds.

"This was just a mental breakdown by our team," said Carter. "It's unfortunate, we played really well enough to control the game and to finish the game and we just couldn't get it done."

Dallas was up, 24-23, after one and 53-44 at the break. The margin extended to 12 late in the third when Lamar Odom hit a three-pointer to make it 72-60.

Phoenix awoke, reeling off a 14-2 run to tie the game.

Odom's dunk was countered by four points each from Nash, Hill and Warrick before Dudley knocked down a 19-footer to knot it at 74.

A pair of Nowitzki free throws briefly re-established the Dallas advantage, but Nash and Dudley both made jumpers to give the Suns a 78-76 lead after three.

"We got the pace of the game up where we really wanted it," said Suns coach Alvin Gentry. "Once again we came up with stops which is really important to run off misses as opposed to taking the ball and running off makes."

They were on top, 83-80, in the fourth before scoring eight straight, stretching the margin to double-digits, 91-80, on Warrick's free throw.

The advantage was 96-87 when Jason Kidd made a three and Nowitzki followed with a short jumper and a layup to cut Dallas' deficit to two, 96-94, with 25 seconds left.

Hill was sent to the foul line, where he missed a pair, but Beaubois was off on a floater and then missed a short jumper after the Suns knocked the loose ball out of bounds.

Game Notes

The Suns had lost their previous three matchups with Dallas this season. With Thursday's win they avoided being swept in the season series for the second straight year...Phoenix improved to 11-9 at home this season. while Dallas fell to 8-11 on the road.