Mavericks 89, Bobcats 82
Mavericks
89, Bobcats 82: Dirk Nowitzki scored 21 of his 25 points in the second
half as Dallas took control in the final quarter to sprint past visiting
Charlotte.
Nowitzki went 1-for-10 from the field in the first half but was a
different player after the break as the Mavericks won for the second
time in six games. Monta Ellis added 22 points and Jose Calderon had 12
for Dallas.
Al Jefferson collected 19 points and 12 rebounds to lead the
Bobcats, who have dropped four of five. Kemba Walker and Gerald
Henderson each chipped in 16 points for Charlotte, which lost promising second-year swingman Michael Kidd-Gilchrist to a fractured hand.
Jefferson's layup knotted it at 78 with 3:17
left but Josh McRoberts was given a technical foul nine seconds
later and Nowitzki hit the free throw before Ellis converted a layup on
the ensuing possession to put the Mavericks on top for good. Nowitzki's jumper from the right side with 27 seconds left provided the dagger
and capped a 9-for-11 second half for the former MVP.
The Bobcats held a 42-39 lead at the break and stretched it out to
54-42 on Henderson's three-point play three minutes into the period.
Dallas cut it to 67-60 entering the fourth and kept chipping away,
outscoring Charlotte 29-15 in the frame.
GAME NOTEBOOK: Jefferson is the first Charlotte player to notch
three straight double-doubles since Gerald Wallace from Feb. 4-7, 2011. ...
Kidd-Gilchrist underwent X-rays to reveal the fracture during the game
and will be re-examined on Wednesday. ... Nowitzki entered the contest leading the NBA in free-throw percentage at 94.3 and hit all three of his attempts.