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Mavs' magic Season-opening streak continues after 4th-quarter comebackPosted: Saturday November 23, 2002 11:04 PMUpdated: Sunday November 24, 2002 12:48 AM
DALLAS (AP) -- Anyone who doubts whether the Dallas Mavericks are the NBA's best team might think differently after seeing how they won their 13th straight. Trailing by 16 late in the third quarter, their zone defense failing and their offensive touch missing, the Mavericks put everything together in a thrilling fourth quarter to pull out a 115-105 victory over the Seattle SuperSonics on Saturday night. Led by their usual starring trio of Dirk Nowitzki, Michael Finley and Steve Nash, Dallas used an 18-1 run to catapult into the lead. Seattle went back ahead once, but the Mavericks answered on their next possession to continue the best roll in franchise history. "To find a way to win games like this is a sign of a champion," said Finley, who had 29 points and 11 rebounds. "We found a way tonight." Dallas' hot streak is the fourth-best in league history. The only three teams that have done better all made it to the NBA Finals. The Mavericks will try matching the 14-0 start by Boston in 1957-58 when it plays at Detroit on Wednesday. They could be going for the record of 15-0 -- which was set by Washington in 1948-49 and tied by Houston in 1993-94 -- on Thursday at Indiana.
The Mavericks played poorly at the start, and the Sonics took advantage. They led by 16 in the first quarter, and were still up that many late in the third, silencing a crowd of 20,011 that had been so raucous earlier this week for games against the Lakers and Houston. Then came the turnaround. Dallas went from trailing 81-65 with 2:43 left in the third to leading 89-86 with 8:10 to go. Seattle's only point in that stretch came on a technical foul free throw following the ejection of Mavericks coach Don Nelson for arguing after a foul call. Rashard Lewis put Seattle back ahead with 4:10 left, but Nash hit a go-ahead 3-pointer. He followed with a long jumper, then Finley hit a 3-pointer to make it 104-97. The closest the Sonics would get after that was six. "You have to be aggressive," said Seattle coach Nate McMillan, whose team has lost three straight since winning four in a row. "We did that for three quarters and then we got back on our heels." Dallas shot only 37 percent the first three quarters, then nailed 62 percent in the final period and outscored Seattle 39-20. It was the highest-scoring quarter of the season for the league's highest-scoring team. The backbone of the Mavs' hot start has been their zone defense. The Sonics shredded it early with great passing and precision shooting, both inside and out, but when it mattered most the Sonics went 7:23 without a field goal, missing 12 straight shots. "The first three quarters, they made their shots and in the fourth they didn't. We started tightening up defensively. It was a good combination," said Nash, who had 27 points and eight assists. "Games like this make us better." Nowitzki missed his first eight shots and was doing so poorly that during halftime, teammate Avery Johnson suggested getting to the free throw line to compensate for his erratic jumper. Instead, Nowitzki found his stroke about the time Dallas began its big rally. He hit a 3-pointer just before it started, then had six straight points during the run, including the basket that put the Mavs ahead for the first time since 4-2. "We have games where it's ugly, but we come up with big plays when we need them the most," Nowitzki said. Gary Payton led Seattle with 20 points and 10 assists. Desmond Mason scored 19 and Lewis, who was wooed by Dallas in the offseason, had 14 points and six rebounds. Seattle scored 34 in the first quarter, the most the Mavs have allowed in any period. The Sonics had 30 in the third period, then collapsed when Dallas switched from a 2-3 zone to a 1-3-1, while mixing in some man-to-man. "If you don't shoot well and don't make the right decisions, that zone definitely slows you up," guard Kenny Anderson said. "You can't settle for jumpers. You're not going to win just shooting jump shots."
Notes: The crowd was filled with 13-0 signs, including four fans
who painted their chests blue but rubbed out 13-0. ... The streak
is the longest of Nelson's 25-year career, which is especially
impressive considering he's the third-winningest coach in league
history. ... Seattle's Predrag Drobnjak hurt his left hand late in
the first quarter and sat the entire second period. He played the
second half with his last two fingers taped. ...Dallas has won
eight of the last 10 against Seattle, including four straight.
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