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Mavericks return home for meeting with Hornets

Jan 14, 2009 - 11:27 AM New Orleans (22-12) at Dallas (22-16) 8:30 p.m. EST

DALLAS (Ticker) -- Dirk Nowitzki looks to earn the Dallas Mavericks some retribution on Wednesday when they return home to face the New Orleans Hornets.

After failing to eclipse 20 points in each of his last three games, Nowitzki exploded for 44, hitting 15-of-26 shots from the field on Tuesday. However, only two other players reached double-figures as Dallas suffered a controversial 99-97 loss to the Denver Nuggets.

Nowitzki's driving dunk with 19 seconds remaining tied the game at 97-97 and the Nuggets called timeout and set up one final play. They made sure to get the ball to their floor general Chauncey Billups, who took off down the middle of the lane and threw up a shot, drawing light contact that brought a foul call on Mavericks guard Jason Terry with two seconds left.

Billups hit both free throws, ending Dallas' winless three-game road trip.

"It was a tough call," Nowitzki said. "Chauncey was hung up in the air, had really nowhere to go, kicked his leg out and gets the call."

The former MVP, Nowitzki will try to get the Mavericks back on track against the Hornets, who are facing Dallas for the first time since earning the series victory in five games during the first round of last season's Western Conference playoffs.

New Orleans has alternated wins and losses over its last six games, dropping a 101-95 decision to the New York Knicks on Monday. The loss was only the Hornets' second in their last 11 home games.