Mavs shoot to lasso win over Lakers

Dallas has won five in a row and is 18-1 over its last 19 games. On Tuesday the Mavericks posted a 109-96 win over the Houston Rockets in the opener of a brief two-game homestand.

Dirk Nowitzki scored 14 of his 30 points in the fourth quarter and pulled down 10 rebounds, leading the surging Mavericks over the rival Rockets. Josh Howard added 28 points for the Mavericks, who rallied from a 13-point third-quarter deficit and sit five games ahead of San Antonio in the division.

Dallas has won 11 straight at home and is 18-3 as the host in 2006-07.

Meanwhile, the Lakers have won three in a row and will continue a three- game road trip on Thursday night.

On Wednesday the Lakers posted a 100-96 win over the San Antonio Spurs at the AT&T Center. Kobe Bryant scored a game-high 34 points, dished out eight assists and pulled down six rebounds to lead the Lakers.

Bryant finished 12-of-19 from the field and 10-of-11 from the line, while Vladimir Radmanovic added 13 points off the bench for the Lakers, who have won three straight and seven of nine. The Lakers are 8-9 on the road this season and sit 4 1/2 games off the lead in the Pacific Division.

Los Angeles is playing without center Kwame Brown and forward Lamar Odom due to injury.

The 2006-07 series between Los Angeles and Dallas is tied at a game apiece. The two squads will meet two more times this season, including today’s tilt in Dallas.

Dallas has won two of the last three games versus the Lakers, who have lost two straight and four of six at American Airlines Center.