Mavericks 103, Bucks 93
DALLAS -- The Dallas Mavericks extended their winning streak to three games with a 103-93 victory over the Milwaukee Bucks on Monday.
Mavericks guard Wesley Matthews delivered in Dallas' time of need as he scored nine of his team-high 22 points in the fourth quarter.
The ball was moving rapidly as the Mavericks recorded 25 assists on 38 made field goals. Guard J.J. Barea, again in the starting lineup for the injured Deron Williams, led Dallas with five assists.
Guard Jerryd Bayless scored eight of his 19 points in the fourth quarter for Milwaukee. Khris Middleton added 15 points for the Bucks - his seventh consecutive game with 15 or more points.
Mavericks coach Rick Carlisle continued to tinker with his lineup as the team was without the services of Williams for the third consecutive game. His change included reinserting forward Chandler Parsons back alongside the first unit. The move appeared to have favorable results as Parsons looked comfortable on the court, finishing with 13 points, four rebounds and four assists.
It was a reunion game for Dallas' Zaza Pachulia. The center spent the previous two seasons in Milwaukee and appeared in 200 games (92 starts) for the Bucks. Pachulia continued his solid play this season, scoring 17 points and pulling down eight rebounds.
Milwaukee lost its sixth straight game and 14th in the last 19 meetings against the Mavericks - and 11 of the last 13 in Dallas.
The Bucks have now lost 13 of their last 14 games on the road.
NOTES: The Mavericks went 16-of-33 (.485) from beyond the arc against Chicago on Dec. 26. It marked their second straight game with 16 made 3-pointers. The Mavericks' only other game with 16 made 3-pointers this season came at Washington on Dec. 6. ... Bucks PF Greg Monroe has posted seven double-doubles in his last 10 games played, including a four-game streak from Dec. 4 through Dec. 9. Monroe is tied for the seventh-most double-doubles recorded in the NBA this season with 15. He currently ranks 11th in both rebounds per game (9.6) and field goal percentage (52.4). ... After scoring 17 points and pulling down a game-high 12 rebounds against Chicago on Dec. 26, Dallas C Zaza Pachulia has 16 double-doubles. The Mavericks improved to 5-0 this year when he scores 15-plus points. Pachulia has recorded 16 double-doubles through his first 30 games this season after he had a total of 15 double-doubles in 73 games with Milwaukee last year.