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Marion, hot-shooting Mavs beat Thunder

Mar 17, 2014 - 3:58 AM Oklahoma City, OK (SportsNetwork.com) - Shawn Marion led the sharp-shooting Mavericks with 19 points as Dallas handled the Oklahoma City Thunder, 109-86, on Sunday.

Vince Carter netted 18 points, Dirk Nowitzki added 17 and Dallas shot 53.3 percent from the field and 13-of-24 from behind the arc in a surprising rout.

The Mavs head into their eight-game homestand riding a 4-1 stretch that includes wins over Portland, Indiana and now Oklahoma City, though the Thunder were without star guard Russell Westbrook in Sunday's matchup.

Jose Calderon took advantage of Westbrook's absence with 16 points, seven assists and five rebounds for Dallas.

Kevin Durant poured in 30 points for the Thunder, who gave Westbrook a rest having won five of their previous seven games.

"This wasn't one of our better games, we didn't come out with the energy it takes. We've just gotta play much better defense. We didn't do a lot of things right on the defensive end we were chasing the basketball all night," Thunder head coach Scott Brooks said.

Dallas scored eight of the final 10 points in the first quarter to take a 29-23 lead and stayed in front the rest of the way.

Marion went for 10 points in the second quarter and the Mavs held a 59-48 lead at the break thanks to a 51.2 percent shooting effort in the half.

Deep makes by Nowitzki and Calderon opened a one-sided third quarter that saw the margin stretch to 21, 91-70, on Brandan Wright's alley-oop in the final minute.

Durant sat the final 10 minutes with the outcome no longer in doubt.

"They were down a great player so we caught a break there," Mavs head coach Rick Carlisle said. "It's a game we needed, so it's a plus for us."

Game Notes

Durant has scored at least 25 points in 31 straight games ... Serge Ibaka finished with 19 points and six rebounds for Oklahoma City ... The Thunder hit the road for three straight, starting Monday night in Chicago ... The Thunder had won seven straight regular-season games against the Mavs and five in a row as the host.