Ellis Hits Winner As Mavs Beat Blazers 108-106
PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — Monta Ellis hit a 21-foot jumper at the buzzer and the Dallas Mavericks snapped the Portland Trail Blazers' four-game winning streak with a 108-106 victory on Saturday night.
Ellis finished with 22 points and Dirk Nowitzki had 28 for the Mavericks' third straight win.
Damian Lillard had 32 points for the Blazers, including a 3-pointer with 1.9 seconds left that tied it at 106.
It was just the second loss at home this season for the red-hot Blazers (17-4), who lead the Western Conference and are off to their best start since the 1990-91 season.
Lillard's 3-pointer closed Portland within 90-91 and he added another to tie it with 3:58 left. But Nowitzki made two jumpers to keep the Blazers from taking the lead.
Robin Lopez's hook shot and a pair of free throws from Nicolas Batum evened it again at 98. Nowitzki's 3-point play was followed by Batum's short jumper before Ellis drained a 3-pointer from the corner to make it 104-100 for Dallas with 1:40 left. He added a fadeaway with 45.9 to go.
Batum made a falling-down 3-pointer to pull the Blazers within 106-103 before Lillard's 3 tied it.
Batum finished with 22 points for the Blazers, who were coming off a 130-98 rout of the Utah Jazz on Friday night. LaMarcus Aldridge added 19 points and 13 rebounds for his 11th double-double this season.
The Mavs (13-8) were coming off a 100-97 victory at New Orleans on Wednesday.
DeJuan Blair's layup gave the Mavs an early 22-16 lead, but Aldridge dunked to even it at 28 late in the first half, and Dorell Wright's layup put Portland in front. The Blazers held on to a slim advantage until late in the half, when Jose Calderon's layup and Shawn Marion's dunk pulled Dallas into a 55-51 lead for a 55-53 advantage at the half.
The Mavericks took a 67-61 lead on Nowitzki's 3-pointer, then extended it on consecutive baskets from Blair.
Portland responded with a 10-0 run capped by Batum's 3-pointer and dunk to tie it at 71. Calderon's layup snapped the run and Dallas took a 79-76 lead into the final quarter.
Gal Mekel's 3-pointer gave Dallas an 85-78 lead with 8:40 left.
Portland trailed 89-80 but charged back with consecutive baskets from Lillard and Aldridge. After Vince Carter's layup, Lillard hit on a jumper that was countered by Bernard James' layup for Dallas to make it 93-86.
(Copyright 2013 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)
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