NBA Game Summary - Dallas at Seattle

Seattle, WA (Basketball News) - Dirk Nowitzki poured in 29 points and pulled down 12 rebounds, as Dallas ran its winning streak to seven games with a 104-97 triumph over the Seattle SuperSonics.

Jerry Stackhouse added 21 points and Jason Terry scored 20 for the Mavericks, won ended a perfect 5-0 road trip by beating the Sonics for a fifth straight time. Dallas has won nine of the last 11 meetings.

"We got off to a slow start defensively," Terry said. "In a timeout, coach challenged us to a man to get back defensively, not allow easy three-point shots and I thought we did that."

Rashard Lewis had 36 points and 10 rebounds to pace the Sonics, who lost for the fifth time in seven contests. Ray Allen added 25 points, but the Sonics shot just 42.9 percent and blew a 17-point lead in the opening quarter.

"We got off to such a great start and I was scared to death of that," Sonics head coach Bob Hill said. "Because when you score that easy, you’re not going to score that easy the whole game."

A jumper by Ronald Murray extended Seattle to a 34-17 lead with 54 seconds left in the first, but Dallas scored the final four points of the quarter and the first 14 of the second to move to a 35-34 edge.

Darrell Armstrong’s layup capped the rally with 8:24 remaining until halftime and the Mavs had the game even at 53 at the break.

The Mavericks scored the first seven points of the third quarter to move in front for good. Terry drilled a three-pointer to highlight the run and Dallas moved to a double-digit lead on Nowitzki’s technical free throw for a 70-60 cushion.

Seattle closed within 80-76 after three quarters and was within one twice in the fourth, the last time at 90-89 following a hook shot by Mikki Moore with 4:44 remaining. However, Nowitzki countered with a three-point play and Terry jammed following a steal.

A Lewis jumper had the Sonics within 98-95 with just under two minutes to play, but Nowitzki sank a foul shot, Stackhouse hit two free throws and Nowitzki canned a jumper for an eight-point Dallas lead with just under a minute left.