DALLAS, (Reuters) – The Dallas Mavericks registered a 10th consecutive victory with a 105-100 triumph over the Golden State Warriors on Tuesday, the win lifting the home team to within a half-game of the Western Conference lead.
Dirk Nowitzki scored a game-high 25 points and Jason Terry added 20 as the Mavericks (17-4) held off a Warriors team that made two three pointers in the final 26 seconds to get reduce the deficit to four points before Dallas held on.
Stephen Curry had a team-high 21 points and David Lee chipped in 20 for the Warriors (8-13), who lost their fourth straight and ninth in 10 games.
With the win, the Mavericks moved to within a half-game of the San Antonio Spurs for the best record in the conference.
Playing without center Tyson Chandler, who was out with a stomach ailment, Dallas got a surprising boost off the bench from French big man Ian Mahinmi who finished with 12 points and 10 rebounds.
“I had my mind ready. I was ready to go and I was really focused tonight,” Mahinmi told reporters. “My plan was to go out and be aggressive and be ready to play.”
In a close contest throughout, the Warriors trailed by four points with 1:23 remaining, but forward Caron Butler made a free throw and Jason Kidd added a three-pointer to give the Mavs some breathing room.
Butler finished with 19 points, but it was the presence of third-stringer Mahinmi that made the difference.
“I thought the young man did a great job impacting the game with his length, impacting the game as a good free-throw shooter, and making plays,” Golden State head coach Keith Smart said.
“He rebounded the basketball and gave them second opportunities, getting the ball and tapping it out.”
