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RECAP
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BOX SCORE
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GAME FLOW
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) -- All the Dallas Mavericks wanted was
overtime. Winning in regulation was never an option.
|  | | Mavs forward Dirk Nowitzki loses control driving between Jamal Mashburn, left, and Baron Davis. |
It didn't go as planned, though, as Howard Eisley hit a
3-pointer as time expired Wednesday night to lift Dallas to a 91-90
victory over the Charlotte Hornets.
"I felt good about the momentum and thought we could have won
in overtime," said Dallas interim coach Donn Nelson. "I wanted
the two to send it into overtime. I never called for the 3, but
I'll take it."
Charlotte led 90-88 with seven seconds to play after Jamal
Mashburn made one of two free throws.
Dallas then called a timeout and Nelson drew up a play for
either Dirk Nowitzki or Michael Finley to try to get a good look at
the basket for a jumper that could tie the game and force an extra
period.
Finley inbounded the ball to Nowitzki, who nearly lost it while
looking to pass it. As the Hornets moved in on the ball, Nowitzki
spotted Eisley alone in the left corner and whipped the ball over
to him.
Eisley barely looked before he tossed it up and the ball swished
through as the clock hit zero.
"I have no idea how I got that open," said Eisley, who scored
11 of his 23 points in the fourth quarter. "I was just there and I
yelled for Dirk and hit the shot."
The Hornets stood on the court in disbelief after the shot while
the Mavericks, led by flamboyant owner Mark Cuban, sprinted across
the court screaming in delight.
"Oh, man," a breathless Nelson said. "I've said it about a
gazillion times, but oh, man."
The victory snapped a three-game losing streak for the
Mavericks, who proved they can win without point guard Steve Nash.
Nash missed his fourth straight game with a sore left hamstring.
The Hornets dropped their third straight game, and ninth in
their last 12, despite a balanced effort from all five starters.
Mashburn led Charlotte with 22 points, nine rebounds and nine
assists. David Wesley scored 19 points and P.J. Brown had 14, Elden
Campbell 13 and Baron Davis 11.
Charlotte led most of the game, by as many as 16, and was up by
11 at the start of the fourth quarter.
"I don't mind so much them making the shot as I do that we were
in that position," Mashburn said. "We were beating them the whole
game, we had a big lead, we outrebounded them, and then we fell
apart at the end."
The Hornets outrebounded Dallas 50-29, but turned the ball over
six times in the fourth quarter and made only five of 16 shots.
That allowed Dallas to rally from a 78-65 deficit and take its
first lead of the second half at 82-81 on Eisley's jumper with 3:18
to play.
The teams went basket for basket from there until Brown gave
Charlotte the lead with 52 seconds to play. Brown was fouled by Loy
Vaught as his desperate heave straight up in the air dropped
through the hoop and he hit the ensuing free throw to make it
88-86.
Eisley was fouled by Wesley on Dallas' next possession and made
both free throws to tie it back up with 38 seconds left. Campbell
was fouled by Nowitzki on the next possession and hit one of two
free throws to put Charlotte up 89-88.
Nowitzki turned the ball over on the next possession when he
threw the ball into Charlotte's bench. The Hornets took a timeout
and Mashburn was fouled on the inbound pass. He only made one free
throw, setting up the winning 3-pointer.
Game notes
Dallas has only won three of its last seven games against
the Hornets. ... The Mavericks improved to 1-5 in games in which
Nash does not play. ... Davis was twice hit with fouls on 3-point
attempts. Dallas hit all six free throws on both plays. ...
Charlotte was called for illegal defense four times.
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ALSO SEE
NBA Scoreboard
Dallas Clubhouse
Charlotte Clubhouse
RECAPS
Philadelphia 99
Chicago 88
Dallas 91
Charlotte 90
New Jersey 108
Washington 89
Minnesota 89
Utah 81
Toronto 98
San Antonio 91
Denver 121
Vancouver 97
Sacramento 111
Boston 106
Phoenix 89
Seattle 80
FROM
ATHLETESDIRECT
Baron Davis Official Site
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