Dirk Nowitzki scored 28 points as the Mavs were subjected to a late Milwaukee run led by forward Carlos Delfino, who made two successive three-pointers to cut the lead to one before missing the potential game-winner as time expired.
“We have a veteran ball club and when it comes down to crunch time, we don’t have any jitters and we welcome the challenge,” Dallas guard Jason Terry told reporters.
“We know what we’re looking for and we know how to get stops.”
Delfino finished with 22 points while Andrew Bogut had a career-high 32 and nine rebounds for the Bucks (18-25). The Mavericks, with Jason Kidd and Erick Dampier returning to the lineup, built a six-point halftime lead and held on to sweep the season series between the teams.
Similar to the last time these two faced off, a 115-113 overtime triumph for the Mavericks on Nov. 16, this one went right down to the wire. Dallas led by eight early in the fourth but could not shake Milwaukee as both teams traded mini runs before Delfino took the reins. After the Bucks stole the ball from Nowitzki with four seconds left Delfino got a 10-foot look but missed it.
“It came down to a scramble on that last play,” Mavericks coach Rick Carlisle said.
“Marion fell down, Dampier had to take his guy. It’s an escape… happy to win”
Delfino enjoyed his second straight 20-point effort as he has earned more prominent playing time for Milwaukee. Bogut was nearly perfect in making 13 of 14 shots.
Terry added 21 points as Dallas (30-15) extended their Southwest Division lead to four games. Nowitzki tied Brad Davis for a franchise record 883 games played as a Maverick. He also had eight rebounds and five assists.
Returning home after a five-game road trip, the Mavericks were coming off a record-setting 128-78 blasting of the New York Knicks on Sunday, the 50-point win the largest in Dallas franchise history.
