RECAP
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BOX SCORE
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 GAME FLOW
DALLAS (AP) -- Four days without a game had Don Nelson concerned
that his Dallas Mavericks would be flat for Saturday night's
meeting with the Denver Nuggets.
As things turned out, Nelson had no reason to worry.
|  | | Dirk Nowitzki attempts a 3-pointer against Denver during Saturday night's Dallas victory. |
Dirk Nowitzki had 24 points and 13 rebounds for his third
double-double in four games as the Mavericks extended their winning
streak against Denver to five games with a 108-84 victory.
Steve Nash added 19 points and Hubert Davis had 15 as the
Mavericks improved to 9-5 and matched the second-best start in
their history.
"You have a few days off, you're eating turkey, chillin',"
said Davis. "You can get cooked. But Thanksgiving's over."
Dallas won 10 of its first 14 in 1983-84 for the best start in
team history. The Mavericks also had 9-5 starts in 1986-87, 1987-88
and 1988-89.
"We're getting better, we're more mature," said Nash. "We're
learning how to win close games and occasionally we get a
blowout."
Michael Finley had 14 points and Dallas went 11-for-19 -- a
season-best 58 percent -- from 3-point range to win for the fourth
time in five games.
"The key was that we were unselfish, swinging the ball to the
open man," Davis said. "When you do that, good things happen."
Nelson said the Mavericks had their best showing of the season.
Nelson was especially pleased to get a strong effort out of his
slumping reserves, who combined for 30 points, led by 10 from
Howard Eisley.
"That's the kind of performance I need out of my bench,"
Nelson said. "I called on them and they came through. Everyone I
put in the game played well."
Antonio McDyess had 19 points and 10 rebounds for the Nuggets,
who were coming off a 102-92 win over San Antonio on Friday night.
The Nuggets have had four games in six nights, but coach Dan
Issel wasn't buying tired legs as an excuse. Issel said his team
doesn't play as hard on the road that it does at home. Denver is
6-2 at home, 1-5 on the road.
"We don't give the effort that we do at home," said Issel.
"That's the frustrating part, to play as well as we did last night
and then tonight we weren't competing. You can't decide before the
game if you have a chance to win. Then you need to take a vote
before the game and just not bother playing."
Denver had won four of its previous five but was unable to
contend with Dallas' uptempo offense, which produced its most
lopsided victory of the season.
Dallas held a 52-43 halftime lead, then opened the third quarter
with a 12-3 run to expand its advantage to 64-47.
Nowitzki and Davis hit 3-pointers during the spurt at the start
of the third quarter and the Mavericks carried an 80-62 lead into
the final quarter.
Nowitzki had eight points and six rebounds in the third quarter
as Dallas held a 28-19 advantage.
Dallas broke the game open with a 10-0 fourth-quarter run that
included 3-pointers by Eisley and Davis for a 98-72 lead.
Game
notes
Dallas guard Greg Buckner missed his fourth straight game
due to a sprained right foot. ... Referee Bill Kennedy left the
game in the third quarter with a sprained right ankle. Kennedy
jumped to get out of the way of McDyess, who had been fouled under
the Nuggets basket, and twisted his ankle when he landed. Kennedy
had the ankle taped by a Dallas trainer and returned late in the
third quarter. ... Mavericks owner Mark Cuban, fined $45,000 by the
league over the past two weeks for three separate incidents in
which he criticized the officiating, watched most of the game from
the upper deck rather than his usual courtside seat.
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NBA Scoreboard
Denver Clubhouse
Dallas Clubhouse
RECAPS
Toronto 79
New York 75
Charlotte 109
Cleveland 98
Houston 91
Miami 80
Orlando 114
Atlanta 92
Dallas 108
Denver 84
Washington 107
Milwaukee 100
San Antonio 96
Philadelphia 76
Portland 86
New Jersey 84
Golden State 114
Minnesota 93
Phoenix 95
LA Clippers 89
Sacramento 125
Seattle 101
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