Dallas Mavericks Team Report - January 17

(Basketball News) - The Dallas Mavericks go for their fourth straight win tonight when they visit the struggling Portland Trail Blazers at the Rose Garden.

On Friday, Dirk Nowitzki scored 22 points to lead the Mavericks to a 91-88 victory over the Denver Nuggets at the Pepsi Center. Michael Finley and Antawn Jamison each had 16 for the Mavericks, who have won three straight.

Antoine Walker contributed for the Mavericks with 13 points and 10 rebounds.

The game, which was tied at the break, was still even, 67-67, late in the third quarter. A basket by Danny Fortson and two free throws by Nowitzki in the closing seconds gave Dallas a four-point lead heading into the final frame.

Anthony scored to begin the fourth quarter to cut the Dallas lead to 71-69 and the Nuggets were within one, 73-72, on a three-pointer by Voshon Lenard.

Dallas responded with an 11-4 run to open an eight-point lead. Jamison hit back-to-back field goals to start the run and a trey by Nowitzki put the Mavericks ahead, 80-74, with around eight minutes remaining in the fourth quarter. Nowitzki and Walker each had a basket to cap the run to give Dallas an 84-76 lead with 6 1/2 minutes to go.

The Nuggets, however, would not quit and used an 8-2 run to pull within two, 86-84. Nowitzki missed from three-point range and Earl Boykins had a chance to tie it with a jumper, but misfired.

Finley then buried a three-pointer from the right corner to give the Mavericks an 89-84 lead with 1:26 to go.

"Finley made the big five points," Dallas coach Don Nelson said. "He really struggled before that. He didn’t look like he had a good rhythm tonight."

Andre Miller scored four straight points to pull Denver within 89-88, but Finley hit a pair of free throws with five seconds to go for a three-point advantage.

Denver’s Rodney White missed from three-point range just before the final buzzer.