Mavericks 100, Timberwolves 98
Shawn Marion scored a season-best 32 points and made a last-second block to lead visiting Dallas past Minnesota.
Dirk Nowitzki added 16 points and Brandan Wright tallied 14 for the Mavericks, who have won the first two contests of a three-game road trip. Marion made 14-of-19 shots, including 4-of-6 from 3-point range, and prevented Timberwolves star Kevin Love from getting off a solid shot in the final second.
Love had 36 points and 11 rebounds but his attempt to tie the game before the buzzer was thwarted by contact from Marion and no foul was called. Kevin Martin scored 19 points, Nikola Pekovic added 18 points and 10 rebounds and Corey Brewer tallied 16 points for Minnesota, which overcame a 19-point halftime deficit to briefly take a fourth-quarter lead.
Martin’s two free throws gave Minnesota a 90-87 lead with 6:35 to play before Marion hit two 3-pointers during a 10-0 run to put Dallas back ahead. The Timberwolves got back within 100-98 on Pekovic’s basket with 39.9 seconds left but missed two shots in the final eight seconds.
Marion had 21 first-half points as the Mavericks took a 62-43 lead into the break. The Timberwolves outscored Dallas 38-19 in third quarter to tie the score at 81 entering the final stanza.
GAME NOTEBOOK: Timberwolves PG Ricky Rubio had 13 assists while Dallas SG Monta Ellis delivered 10. … Love has scored 25 or more points in 11 consecutive games. … Both teams shot poorly from 3-point range – the Mavericks were 6-of-24 and Minnesota was 6-of-23.