Nuggets 89 - 97 Mavericks
Final
  for this game

Nowitzki returns, paces Mavs over Nuggets

Jan 17, 2015 - 5:07 AM Dallas, TX (SportsNetwork.com) - Dirk Nowitzki rested Wednesday against the Nuggets and the Mavericks suffered their third defeat in four games.

The bounce-back game for the veteran power forward helped Dallas exact some revenge with a wire-to-wire victory.

Nowitzki poured in 25 points to pace the Mavericks to a 97-89 victory over Denver Friday at American Airlines Center.

Nowitzki, Rajon Rondo and Tyson Chandler all sat out Wednesday, but the trio of starters returned Friday and were big contributors. Chandler had 11 points and 16 rebounds. Rondo was held to just two points, but he chipped in nine rebounds and eight assists.

Chandler Parsons scored 18 points and Monta Ellis had 14 for the Mavs.

"I think that what really got us going was defense early on," Nowitzki said. "We got some stops, in transition they had some trouble finding us, and I was able to knock some shots down. But, overall, I think if we hold teams to under 90 at home, that's obviously great for us."

Arron Afflalo had 16 points, and JJ Hickson scored 13 and pulled down 14 rebounds for the Nuggets. Ty Lawson scored 11 to go with 12 assists and six boards for Denver, which posted a 114-107 home win Wednesday. Jameer Nelson, who made his Nuggets debut after being traded from Boston, scored 14 to go with seven assists.

"It was a little weird. Number one playing against a team a played for this year and two, I haven't played basketball in a couple of weeks," said Nelson, who was dealt from Dallas to Boston Dec. 18. "The situation in Boston, I had a a lot going on yesterday with traveling and my mind was spinning. You step on the court it's basketball and all the other stuff goes out the window. You have to play the game and do your job."

Nowitzki scored 10 in the opening quarter, which led Dallas to a 29-24 lead after 12 minutes. The Mavs opened with a 17-4 burst over the first four minutes.

The difference was 49-42 at the half, and Rondo's only bucket of the night, a jumper with 8:56 left in the third, extended the margin to 60-44.

The visitors trimmed the deficit to 73-65 going to the fourth, but the Nuggets never got closer than seven the rest of the way.

Game Notes

The Mavericks own a home record of 24-9 against Denver since the 1997-98 season ... Denver is 6-13 on the road and has lost three in a row as the guest ... The Mavs have won seven of the last nine in this series.






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