Nowitzki rallies Mavs past Celtics

Nowitzki also had 12 rebounds and went 12-of-13 at the foul line. Josh Howard equaled a career-best with 30 points and added eight boards for Dallas, which snapped a two-game skid and moved its NBA-best mark to 53-11.

The Mavericks were coming off consecutive defeats for the first time since losing their opening four games of the season. They had a 17-game winning streak broken by losing at Golden State on Monday and then in double-overtime at home by the Suns two nights later. However, on Friday Dallas continued its success against Boston, beating the Celtics for the sixth straight time and for the 14th time in the last 16 meetings.

Paul Pierce had 29 points and eight assists for the Celtics, who lost for the third time in four contests. Gerald Green finished with a career-high 25 points and Al Jefferson totaled 20 points and 10 rebounds for Boston, which blew a 12-point lead in the third quarter.

Two free throws from Nowitzki pushed Dallas’ lead to 102-99 with 47 seconds left, and Allan Ray then missed a three-point try for Boston. Nowitzki drilled a turnaround jumper with four seconds remaining.

Green scored on an alley-oop, but Jason Terry drained a pair of attempts from the foul line for Dallas to close the contest.

Terry ended with 16 points for the Mavs, who went 30-of-33 at the foul line.

Dallas led 29-26 after the opening quarter, but Boston got hot in the second. A 9-2 run boosted the Celtics to a 41-35 lead, with Jefferson’s layup capping the burst. Another Jefferson bucket pushed the margin to 12 points before Jerry Stackhouse hit two free throws on the ensuing possession to close the half with Dallas behind, 54-44.

Delonte West’s jumper extended Boston’s lead to 58-46 before Dallas came roaring back with the next 12 points. Terry’s jumper tied the score midway through the third and Dallas trailed 70-69 going into the fourth. It remained tight until the end.

Game Notes

Dallas, which had its franchise-record 23-game home winning streak broken Wednesday, is 31-4 at American Airlines Center this season...Boston has lost 14 of its last 16 road games...Boston has dropped seven straight at Dallas...Mavericks guard Greg Buckner is sidelined indefinitely with a sprained left knee and Dallas swingman Devean George also missed the game due to a sprained right knee...West had 10 points and Kendrick Perkins ended with 10 rebounds for Boston...Stackhouse scored 11...Dallas guard Devin Harris, who strained his neck in the Phoenix game, had nine points in this contest.