casper
12-28-2009, 12:05 PM
MAVERICKS DEAL NUGGETS RARE HOME LOSS
THE SPORTS NETWORK
Denver, CO (Sports Network) - Drew Gooden led a balanced Mavericks attack with 19 points in a 104-96 win over a struggling Denver Nuggets team.
Of the eight players to see the floor for Dallas, only Jason Kidd failed to reach double-digit scoring. Kidd, though, dished nine assists while Josh Howard checked in with 17 points and nine rebounds.
Dirk Nowitzki posted 13 points and 11 boards for the Southwest Division-leading Mavericks, who have three wins in their last four games.
Jason Terry and Juan Barea also scored 13 points, Shawn Marion notched 12 and Erick Dampier had 10.
Kenyon Martin paced Denver with 18 points and 11 rebounds and Carmelo Anthony added 16 and 12. Ty Lawson also scored 16 while Arron Afflalo and Nene had 13 points apiece for the Nuggets, who have lost four of their last five games.
Denver shot just 38.2 percent from the field and was without guard Chauncey Billups, who is dealing a groin problem. It was just the second home loss of the season for the Nuggets (13-2).
Dallas jumped out to a 30-23 lead after the opening 12 minutes and played front-runner in the second quarter with Denver eventually cutting its deficit to three, 55-52, by ending the half with seven straight points.
A little over two minutes into the third, a pair of Nene free throws cut the Nuggets' deficit to 61-59.
Marion provided six points to an ensuing 10-2 run that had the Mavs back in front by 10, 71-61, with 6 1/2 minutes remaining. Dallas ran its lead to 11, 83-72, heading to the fourth.
A Gooden bucket then boosted the Mavericks' advantage to 93-79 with a little under six minutes to go.
Denver, though, put together a 15-5 stretch to cut the deficit to four. Martin scored six of those points with his jumper with 2 1/2 minutes getting the Nuggets within 98-94.
However, the Nuggets managed just a pair of Lawson free throws the rest of the way. Gooden had a tip-in following a Denver timeout to run the lead to seven and a Nowitzki three-ball inside the final minute sealed it.
GAME NOTES:
The Mavericks kicked off a four-game road trip with the win and will also visit the Rockets, Kings and Lakers. They improved to 11-4 away from Dallas with the win...Denver took all four meetings with Dallas a year ago and had won five straight in the series. The Mavericks got their first win in five trips to the Pepsi Center...Gooden also had 10 rebounds for Dallas, which shot an even 50 percent from the floor.
THE SPORTS NETWORK
Denver, CO (Sports Network) - Drew Gooden led a balanced Mavericks attack with 19 points in a 104-96 win over a struggling Denver Nuggets team.
Of the eight players to see the floor for Dallas, only Jason Kidd failed to reach double-digit scoring. Kidd, though, dished nine assists while Josh Howard checked in with 17 points and nine rebounds.
Dirk Nowitzki posted 13 points and 11 boards for the Southwest Division-leading Mavericks, who have three wins in their last four games.
Jason Terry and Juan Barea also scored 13 points, Shawn Marion notched 12 and Erick Dampier had 10.
Kenyon Martin paced Denver with 18 points and 11 rebounds and Carmelo Anthony added 16 and 12. Ty Lawson also scored 16 while Arron Afflalo and Nene had 13 points apiece for the Nuggets, who have lost four of their last five games.
Denver shot just 38.2 percent from the field and was without guard Chauncey Billups, who is dealing a groin problem. It was just the second home loss of the season for the Nuggets (13-2).
Dallas jumped out to a 30-23 lead after the opening 12 minutes and played front-runner in the second quarter with Denver eventually cutting its deficit to three, 55-52, by ending the half with seven straight points.
A little over two minutes into the third, a pair of Nene free throws cut the Nuggets' deficit to 61-59.
Marion provided six points to an ensuing 10-2 run that had the Mavs back in front by 10, 71-61, with 6 1/2 minutes remaining. Dallas ran its lead to 11, 83-72, heading to the fourth.
A Gooden bucket then boosted the Mavericks' advantage to 93-79 with a little under six minutes to go.
Denver, though, put together a 15-5 stretch to cut the deficit to four. Martin scored six of those points with his jumper with 2 1/2 minutes getting the Nuggets within 98-94.
However, the Nuggets managed just a pair of Lawson free throws the rest of the way. Gooden had a tip-in following a Denver timeout to run the lead to seven and a Nowitzki three-ball inside the final minute sealed it.
GAME NOTES:
The Mavericks kicked off a four-game road trip with the win and will also visit the Rockets, Kings and Lakers. They improved to 11-4 away from Dallas with the win...Denver took all four meetings with Dallas a year ago and had won five straight in the series. The Mavericks got their first win in five trips to the Pepsi Center...Gooden also had 10 rebounds for Dallas, which shot an even 50 percent from the floor.