Mavericks 97, Nuggets 89
Dirk Nowitzki recorded 25 points and nine rebounds after being rested for one game as Dallas defeated visiting Denver to split a home-and-home over three days.
Chandler Parsons contributed 18 points while Tyson Chandler scored 11 and grabbed 16 rebounds for the Mavericks, who lost 114-107 at Denver on Wednesday. Monta Ellis chipped in with 14 points and Rajon Rondo had nine rebounds and eight assists as Dallas snapped the Nuggets’ five-game winning streak
Arron Afflalo led six players in double figures with 16 points and Ty Lawson scored 11 to go along with 12 assists while shooting only 3-of-13 from the field for Denver. Jameer Nelson scored 14 points in his debut for the Nuggets and fellow reserve J.J. Hickson had 13 points and 14 rebounds.
Nowitzki scored 14 points as the Mavericks led by as many as 10 in the first half before settling for a 49-42 lead at the break after limiting the Nuggets to 37 percent shooting. Parsons’ basket, a 3-pointer by Nowitzki and Rondo’s jumper in succession pushed the Dallas lead to 60-44 with 8:56 left in the third quarter.
Nelson scored seven quick points to pull Denver within 73-65 going into the fourth and Darrell Arthur’s basket cut the deficit to six, but Nowitzki’s three-point play less than a minute later increased the lead to 10. The Nuggets were within nine before Nowitzki’s basket ignited a 9-4 run that included two baskets by Ellis and the Mavericks cruised from there.
GAME NOTEBOOK: Nowitzki, Chandler (ankle) and Rondo (Achilles) all missed the game at Denver on Wednesday. … Nelson, who played 23 games with the Mavericks earlier this season before being traded, was acquired by the Nuggets from Boston earlier in the week. … Dallas is 28-13 halfway through the season after being 24-17 at the same point in 2013-14.