Nowitzki Leads Mavs Past Raptors 105-99

The Toronto Raptors built a 24-point lead, and Dirk Nowitzki and Devin Harris demolished it with a couple of terrific runs. <br/><br/>Nowitzki hit four straight 3-pointers in the final 1:41 of the third

Wednesday, November 21st 2007, 8:26 am

By: News On 6

The Toronto Raptors built a 24-point lead, and Dirk Nowitzki and Devin Harris demolished it with a couple of terrific runs.

Nowitzki hit four straight 3-pointers in the final 1:41 of the third quarter, when the Dallas Mavericks went ahead to stay on their way to a 105-99 victory Tuesday night. It was the franchise's largest comeback to win in regulation.

``Dirk's stretch is what really put the game away for us,'' Harris said.

It came after Harris keyed a 12-0 run right before halftime that cut the deficit in half.

``Devin came in and got us going. We really picked up our energy when he came in,'' Nowitzki said. ``We were kind of sleepwalking.''

In other games, it was: the Los Angeles Lakers 134, Indiana 114; Milwaukee 111, Cleveland 107; Golden State 108, New York 82; Denver 112, Chicago 91; Phoenix 100, Sacramento 98; Washington 116, Philadelphia 101; and San Antonio 95, Atlanta 83.

The first of Nowitzki's clutch 3-pointers tied it at 70, then he made another and another. They all came within a minute of each other, and Nowitzki made the last with 1.4 seconds left in the third quarter for a 79-72 lead.

``I've been struggling with the 3-ball and when I got the first to go down, I got my confidence going,'' said Nowitzki, who came in shooting only 26 percent from long range.

Nowitzki scored 18 of his season-high 32 points in the third quarter, when the Mavs outscored Toronto 38-17. It was their highest-scoring quarter this season and erased a 14-point halftime deficit.

Dallas also overcame a 24-point deficit against Toronto in February 2006, but won that game in overtime. The Raptors have never blown a bigger lead to lose, and now they've done it twice against Dallas.

Chris Bosh, playing in his hometown, had a season-high 31 points with 12 rebounds for Toronto.

Harris finished with 19 points for Dallas.

Lakers 134, Pacers 114

Kobe Bryant scored 32 points, and the short-handed Lakers earned their fourth straight win.

Jordan Farmar had a career-high 18 points, Andrew Bynum added 17 points and 10 rebounds and the Lakers rolled to the highest point total in the league this year.

Los Angeles acquired forward Trevor Ariza from the Magic for forward Brian Cook and swingman Maurice Evans earlier in the day. Ariza hadn't joined the Lakers by the opening tip.

Shawne Williams led the Pacers (4-7) with a career-high 24 points, and Jamaal Tinsley added 10 points and 10 assists. It was Indiana's worst home defeat since a 24-point loss to New Jersey on March 4, 2001.

Bucks 111, Cavaliers 107

Michael Redd scored a season-high 34 points, Mo Williams added 20 and Milwaukee ended a seven-game losing streak against Cleveland with its first road win this season.

The Bucks hadn't beaten the Cavs since Dec. 10, 2005. They also snapped an eight-game losing streak in Cleveland, where they had been winless since Jan. 6, 2003 _ the season before LeBron James arrived.

James finished with 34 points, seven assists and seven rebounds in 44 minutes.

Charlie Villanueva had 17 points for the Bucks.

Warriors 108, Knicks 82

At New York, Baron Davis had 31 points, seven assists and six rebounds, and Golden State ruined Stephon Marbury's return to the lineup.

The Knicks have lost seven straight.

Stephen Jackson added 23 points for the resurgent Warriors, who have won three straight after an 0-6 start.

Marbury scored 18 points, but the Knicks were never in the game in the second half and were booed often over the final three quarters. So was coach Isiah Thomas, who saw no results from his decision to demote Marbury last week and heard ``Fire Isiah!'' cries on a few occasions during the game.

Nuggets 112, Bulls 91

Carmelo Anthony scored 26 points and Marcus Camby added 12 points and 20 rebounds for the Nuggets.

Allen Iverson scored 22 points and Kenyon Martin had 13 for Denver, which has won six straight.

Rookie reserve Joakim Noah had 16 points for visiting Chicago, which fell to 2-8, its worst start since 2004-05 when it was 0-9.

Suns 100, Kings 98

Amare Stoudemire had 26 points and 13 rebounds, and Phoenix held on for the road win.

Stoudemire scored the Suns' final six points and blocked a shot by John Salmons with 1 second left, leading Phoenix to its sixth straight win.

Leandro Barbosa scored 22 points, Grant Hill had 19 and Steve Nash finished with 14 points and 12 assists for the Suns.

Ron Artest had 33 points and 12 rebounds for Sacramento.

Wizards 116, 76ers 101

Andray Blatche had a career-high 26 points and DeShawn Stevenson finished with 19 for the surging Wizards.

Washington has won five straight since opening the season with a five-game skid.

Louis Williams scored a career-high 25 points for the visiting 76ers.

The Wizards played without Gilbert Arenas, who missed his second straight game because of his sore and swollen left knee.

Spurs 95, Hawks 83

At Atlanta, Tony Parker scored 17 of his 31 points in the second quarter and Manu Ginobili added 19 for San Antonio.

The Hawks, who have lost three in a row, went on a 14-2 run to get within 85-75 with 6:45 left on Joe Johnson's basket but never got closer. The Spurs got baskets by Michael Finley and Parker for an 89-75 lead, ending a 6-minute drought in which they scored only one basket.

Johnson led the Hawks with 20 points. Parker also had nine assists.