Nowitzki, Butler get Mavs back on winning track against Bulls

[March 18, 2010]  DALLAS (AP) -- Caron Butler scored 27 points, Dirk Nowitzki had 26, and J.J. Barea scored 10 straight when things tightened up in the fourth quarter, helping the Dallas Mavericks beat the Chicago Bulls 113-106 on Wednesday night.

Dallas had three days off since ending a 13-game winning streak with a 34-point loss to New York. The Mavericks bounced back strong, making nearly 70 percent of their shots well into the third quarter, then let Chicago turn it into a game.

The Bulls scored on 11 of their first 12 possessions in the fourth quarter and were within eight at 98-90 when Barea got rolling. He hit a jumper, two 3-pointers and a layup to give Dallas some breathing room.

Chicago, wearing green uniforms for St. Patrick's Day, lost its ninth straight.

The Bulls got Kirk Hinrich back from a one-game suspension, but were still without point guard Derrick Rose (sprained left wrist), swingman Luol Deng (right calf strain) and big man Joakim Noah (left foot plantar fasciitis).

Dallas native Acie Law scored a season-high 22 points for Chicago. Five other players scored in double figures, and two more scored nine points. But the Bulls were done in by a defense that allowed at least 100 points for the 12th straight game.

Barea finished with 15 points and Roddy Beaubois scored 11, picking up the slack for Jason Kidd. He was 0 for 5 and ended a streak of 30 straight games with a 3-pointer, which had been second-best in the NBA. He was 0 for 4 from behind the arc.

The bigger news for the Mavericks' backcourt was the return of Jason Terry only two weeks after breaking a bone in his face.

Sporting a clear mask partly obscured by his headband, Terry entered to the "Phantom of the Opera" and quickly made his first three shots. He finished 4 of 10 for nine points in 25 minutes.

Dallas led by 12 after the first quarter and was up by 18 after the third. Even after Barea's surge, the Bulls made another push but it was too late for them to finish the rally.

Hinrich missed the previous game because of contact with a ref. He might need to be on his best behavior from now on -- he got called for a technical foul with 2:05 left.

NOTES: Kidd appeared to have upped his 3-point streak by swishing a 40-footer at the end of the third quarter. Alas, replays show he let go too late. ... Dallas has won 19 of its last 22 games against Chicago. ... Rose missed his third straight game, Deng his fourth straight and Noah his 16th overall.

[Associated Press; By JAIME ARON]

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