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Mavs continue trip against Timberwolves

Mar 10, 2013 - 3:06 PM (Sports Network) - Still fighting for their postseason lives, the Dallas Mavericks will continue a four-game road trip Sunday against the Minnesota Timberwolves at Target Center.

The Mavericks are three games off the eighth and final playoff spot in the Western Conference and have played well the past few games. With three wins over the previous four contests, the Mavs kept the momentum going with Friday's 102-99 road victory over the Detroit Pistons.

O.J. Mayo led seven Dallas players in double figures with 22 points, while Brandan Wright scored 14 points and both Dirk Nowitzki and Mike James added 12 points for Dallas, which took the lead on Nowitzki's basket with about two minutes remaining.

"We didn't do a good job when they made their run in the fourth, but we held on," Dallas coach Rick Carlisle said. "If you do good things in the course of a game the basketball gods are sometimes good to you."

Darren Collison (11), Chris Kaman (10) and Vince Carter (10) were the other players to score in double figures.

Nowitzki had an off night scoring wise (6-of-14), but has posted 20-plus points five times in the previous eight games. In injury news for the Mavs, forward Shawn Marion is day-to-day with a left calf contusion.

The Mavs have been shooting well lately, making 50 percent or better from the floor in three of the past four games. They are 13-2 this season when hitting 50 percent or more for the game.

Dallas is 11-21 away from Big D this season and still has Milwaukee and San Antonio to visit on the road trip.

Minnesota failed in its attempt to string back-to-back wins together when it dropped a 111-88 decision at Denver on Saturday.

Mickael Gelabale led the Timberwolves with 19 points and J.J. Barea added 15 in the loss, Minnesota's seventh in the last eight tries. The banged-up Wolves haven't won two in a row since a four-game run from Dec. 7-15.

"We had nine players. The whole front line is hurt," Timberwolves coach Rick Adelman said. "It makes it difficult, but that's what it is right now and we have to find a way through it."

Derrick Williams scored 13 points for Minnesota and has benefited with more playing time while most of the team recovers from injury. It is still uncertain when former All-Star forward Kevin Love (broken hand) will return.

The T'Wolves will play two in a row at home versus Dallas and San Antonio, and are 14-15 at the Target Center. Minnesota has beaten Dallas twice in three meetings this season, but the Mavs are a dominant 20-5 in the previous 25 contests in the series.

Dallas has prevailed in 10 of the last 12 trips to the Twin Cities.