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 two in a row and will open a three-game road trip on Thursday night. Los Angeles posted a 124-118 overtime win against the Miami Heta on Monday at the Staples Center.

Kobe Bryant scored 25 points on 11-of-24 shooting and adding eight assists to lead the Lakers, who are 4 1/2 games behind Phoenix for the top spot in the Pacific Division. Brian Cook scored 25 points and grabbed 10 rebounds, as the Lakers will try to improve on their 7-9 road record this season.

Los Angeles, which is playing without center Kwame Brown and forward Lamar Odom due to injury, has lost its last two games away from the Staples Center.

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.