Mavs End Preseason With Win Over Bobcats 99-82
DALLAS (AP) -- Shawn Marion scored 24 points, Eddy Curry added 11 one day after he was claimed off waivers, and the Dallas Mavericks beat the Charlotte Bobcats 99-82 on Friday night in the final preseason game for both teams.
Marion scored 10 of his 24 points in the second quarter to help the Mavericks pull ahead 61-43 at halftime.
O.J. Mayo had 13 points, 10 rebounds and nine assists for the Mavericks, who finished 4-4 in the preseason.
Byron Mullens, Charlotte's leading scorer in the preseason, had 16 points and 19 rebounds. Gerald Henderson scored 17 points for the Bobcats, who shot just 30 percent from the floor.
The Mavericks claimed Curry off waivers Thursday after San Antonio cut him and he was in the starting lineup a day after being picked up. The 7-footer had seven rebounds and was 4 of 8 shooting, including a nifty layup to finish a break early in the third.
Curry's addition comes at a time when Dallas' frontcourt is short-handed because of injuries.
Dallas forward Dirk Nowitzki, who played just one preseason game, had right knee surgery last Friday and could miss up to six weeks.
Center Chris Kaman missed his fourth in a row with a right calf strain and his status for Tuesday's regular-season opener against the Los Angeles Lakers is up in the air.
Forward Elton Brand was also rested Friday night by coach Rick Carlisle.
Dallas' Darren Collison had 12 points and rookie Jae Crowder chipped in with 11.
The Bobcats, who finished 1-7 in the preseason, had a 7-59 record last season and the worst winning percentage in NBA history.
Charlotte will look to snap a 23-game losing streak in the regular season when it opens at home next Thursday against the Indiana Pacers.
The Bobcats missed 16 of their first 17 shots and fell behind by 18 in the first quarter.
Charlotte closed the gap to 40-33 before the Mavericks went on a 16-4 run that was finished off by consecutive baskets from Marion, who also had 12 rebounds.
Mullens hit a turnaround jumper that brought the Bobcats within 85-82 in the fourth quarter. The Mavericks scored the final 14 points of the game to close things out.
Charlotte's Ramon Sessions had 16 points and Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, the second overall pick in this past summer's draft, had 10 rebounds.
Bobcats forward Tyrus Thomas missed his second straight game with a bruised right heel.
