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Mavs snap road skid at 7 games, top Nuggets

Mar 20, 2012 - 6:41 AM Denver, CO (Sports Network) - Dirk Nowitzki scored 33 points on 12-of-19 shooting and the Mavericks snapped a seven-game road losing streak with a thorough 112-95 victory over the Nuggets at Pepsi Center.

Nowitzki also added 11 rebounds and six assists, while Vince Carter and Rodrigue Beaubois both chipped in 14 points in the win, Dallas' fourth straight on the heels of a three-game slide.

"It was one of the smartest played games I've seen in the league all year long by our guys," said Dallas head coach Rick Carlisle.

Arron Afflalo netted 24 points to lead Denver, which welcomed back Wilson Chandler on a losing note. Chandler, who signed to a five-year deal worth nearly $37 million Sunday after returning from China, scored 13 points in reserve.

Both teams shot over 62 percent in the first quarter, with Nowitzki hitting all five of his two-point attempts to lead the Mavs to a 33-29 lead.

Nowitzki added eight more points in the second, putting Dallas in front, 63-56 at the break, and a 9-0 run to start the third yielded a 72-56 cushion for the visitors.

The difference was 92-78 heading to the fourth, and the Mavs held the Nuggets to just two fields goals over the first eight minutes to win going away.

"It was hard fighting from behind against a team that shoots the ball so well when they're playing so comfortable," Afflalo said.

Game Notes

Dallas won the season series, 3-1...The Nuggets fell to 4-4 on a nine-game homestand that will end on Wednesday against the Pistons...Brandan Wright scored 15 points off Dallas' bench, while Jason Kidd handed out 10 assists in the win...Denver shot 36 percent from the field after the first quarter...Nuggets guard Andre Miller exited in the second quarter with a bruised right shoulder and did not return, while teammate Danilo Gallinari broke his left thumb going for a block.