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RECAP
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BOX SCORE
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GAME FLOW
PHILADELPHIA (AP) -- Don Nelson wasn't sure he would be at the
Dallas Mavericks' game Friday night. He was, and coached his team
to a victory and its highest point total of the season.
|  | | Don Nelson arrived at First Union Center just 40 minutes before tipoff. |
Dirk Nowitzki scored a career-high 36 points, and Steve Nash had
18 points and 13 assists as Dallas beat the Philadelphia 76ers
112-94, ending the Mavericks' two-game losing slide.
Nelson had missed Dallas' previous three games while consulting
with doctors about how to treat his prostate cancer. He rescheduled
some appointments and, thanks to team owner Mark Cuban's private
plane, arrived 40 minutes before Friday's tipoff.
Nelson will have surgery Jan. 4, and will miss 6-to-8 weeks.
Assistant Del Harris, who coached the team during the three-game
absence, will fill in again.
"That was a game that it's fun for coaches to coach in,"
Nelson said. "It was great competition, it's what I live for. I
could hardly stay away."
He wasn't slated to return to the Mavericks until the team's
game at Detroit on Sunday. But he moved up a blood test and a bone
scan until Friday morning and was able to make the game.
"Once I found that I could get that done in the morning, the
toughest part was getting here," Nelson said.
He was animated on the sideline during the game, although Harris
did some more coaching than normal. Nelson seemed excited by his
team's performance.
Nowitzki was 13-for-19 from the field, mostly from the outside,
and added six rebounds for the Mavs. The scoring outburst came just
one game after he went 1-for-10 against Indiana on Wednesday.
"I was down yesterday but the team did a great job finding me
tonight. Tonight was big for me," Nowitzki said.
"From time to time, Dirk gets on a roll like that," Nash said.
"He's unique. You don't see many 7-footers running the court with
the grace that he does."
Michael Finley had 25 points and Howard Eisley 16 for Dallas.
Allen Iverson had 26 points, including a perfect 12-for-12 from
the free-throw line, for the 76ers, who gave up 100 points for just
the second time this season.
"We just couldn't guard them," 76ers coach Larry Brown said.
"It was a miracle it wasn't worse in the first half. We knew we
were in trouble."
Aaron McKie had 19 points and Vernon Maxwell added 10 for
Philadelphia.
Nowitzki hit a jumper and 3-pointer to open the fourth quarter
and give the Mavericks a 97-80 edge. The lead reached 22 points
when a turnaround jumper by Nowitzki made it 106-84 with 6:13.
The Mavericks opened up a 12-point lead after three quarters
with Nowitzki scoring 13 points in the period, including a leaning
3-pointer at the buzzer to put Dallas ahead 92-80.
Both teams held eight-point leads in the first half, with Dallas
using a 10-2 run to take a 60-52 advantage with 31.7 seconds left.
The Mavs led 62-57 at halftime, with Eisley and Nowitzki each
scoring 16, and Finley 13.
Game
notes
Philadelphia center Matt Geiger dressed but did not play
because of a right leg injury. ...There were three writers from
German newspapers at the game to cover Nowitzki. ... Philadelphia's
locker room was closed for 20 minutes after the game while Brown
spoke to the team. ... 76ers owner Pat Croce embraced Nelson after
the game and said he was praying for him. Nelson laughingly
responded that after reading Croce's book, he didn't want his
prayers. Croce's recent autobiography, "I Feel Great and You Will
Too," details a wild youth.
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ALSO SEE
NBA Scoreboard
Dallas Clubhouse
Philadelphia Clubhouse
Nelson's surgery set for Jan. 4
RECAPS
Cleveland 103
Indiana 95
Dallas 112
Philadelphia 94
Charlotte 103
Washington 89
Sacramento 104
Boston 81
Utah 89
New York 58
Minnesota 99
Detroit 90
Atlanta 85
Chicago 74
Milwaukee 104
Toronto 97
LA Clippers 98
Phoenix 88
Portland 106
Orlando 96
Seattle 99
Miami 81
LA Lakers 98
Vancouver 76
FROM
ATHLETESDIRECT
Larry Brown Official Site
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