Nowitzki's 30 Points Lifts Mavs

[December 22, 2007]  DALLAS (AP) -- Dirk Nowitzki scored 30 points and Devin Harris added 21 to help the Dallas Mavericks beat the Los Angeles Clippers 102-89 on Friday night.

Nowitzki has scored at least 30 in his last three games. The Mavericks won their fifth straight game as they held the Clippers to less than 90 points for the ninth time this season.

The Clippers have lost 12 of 15 games since starting the season 6-4.

Chris Kaman scored 24 points and grabbed 19 rebounds for Los Angeles. It was his 21st double-double of the season and his 11th straight in December.

Dallas led by 12 at the half, but Los Angeles opened the third on a 15-6 run.

Richie Frahm hit a 3-pointer to bring the Clippers within 60-57.

The Mavericks answered as Harris drove for a layup, then stole the ball from Tim Thomas and finished with another hoop to put Dallas ahead 64-57.

Nowitzki hit a jumper to extend the lead to nine. After a Kaman basket, Josh Howard scored five straight points to put Dallas on top 71-59.

Howard scored 15 points, Jason Terry had 14 and Jerry Stackhouse added 10 for the Mavericks, who improved to 13-2 at home.

Cuttino Mobley had 13 off the bench for the Clippers.

Los Angeles got within 88-81 on Dan Dickau's layup midway through the fourth.

But Dallas put the game away by scoring the next nine points. Nowitzki hit a 3-pointer and added a 3-point play to put the Mavericks up 97-81.

Nowitzki, who is shooting just 30 percent from 3-point range, relied on his post-up game early against smaller Clippers defenders to provide the Mavericks with some early offense.

The reigning MVP scored 14 points on 4-of-6 shooting in the first quarter.

Harris scored 10 in the second quarter, including a driving layup to put the Mavericks ahead 54-42 at halftime.

Clippers reserve center Paul Davis left the game with 8:53 left in the first half with a sprained right knee. Davis landed awkwardly on his right leg trying to get back on defense.

Davis wasn't putting any pressure on his right leg as needed the help of two teammates to assist him off the floor.

Notes:@ Dallas coach Avery Johnson, a former San Antonio point guard, will have his jersey retired by the Spurs on Saturday night. Johnson is team's all-time assists leader and his jumper in Game 5 of the 1999 NBA Finals clinched the title. ... Mobley was back in the lineup after missing Wednesday's game against Toronto with a stomach virus.

[Associated Press; By DAVID JIMENEZ]

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