Mavs win, hit break as best in West103-97 victory gives Dallas lead in Southwest03:55 PM CST on Thursday, February 16, 2006By EDDIE SEFKO / The Dallas Morning NewsThe Mavericks had one goal going into their last game before the All-Star break."We don't want to sit around on a loss for a week," Dirk Nowitzki said.Mavericks/NBAInstead, they will sit around with the best record in the Western Conference for a week.The Mavericks got the job done Wednesday night, despite some sloppy moments in the third quarter and a few tense ones in the fourth. And by dispatching the Washington Wizards, 103-97, the Mavericks got a nice byproduct ? a 41-11 record and one-game lead in the West on 40-12 San Antonio, which lost to Philadelphia on Wednesday night in the Spurs' final game before the break.Up by one with just over a minute left, Nowitzki found Erick Dampier wide-open for a dunk, and Jason Terry then scored on a drive to clinch the Mavericks' 15th win in 16 games and their 11th consecutive home win.Coach Avery Johnson said before the game that nosing in front of the Spurs would be nice, but not necessarily anything for the Mavericks to hang their hat on."I don't watch San Antonio in a sense where I'm hoping they lose," Johnson said. "[That] will start at some point. And obviously, you want them to lose. I'm not na?ve. They're not cheering for us, either."In addition, it is no longer early in the season. When the Mavericks resume play Tuesday, there will be 30 games remaining for them and the Spurs.After five consecutive games that were decided by at least nine points, the Mavericks finally found themselves in a nail-biter against the Wizards.The Mavericks led by as much as a dozen in the third quarter but suffered four turnovers in the last four minutes to allow the Wizards an easy chance to whittle the gap, which they did.Jared Jeffries and Caron Butler led the Washington rally that left the Mavericks with a precarious 76-72 lead going into the final period.The Mavericks had five reserves on the court during much of the Wizards' comeback and started the fourth quarter with no starters on the court. They couldn't shake the visitors, who were hanging tough despite one of Gilbert Arenas' worst scoring nights of the season. His previous low was nine points. He didn't reach double figures until well into the fourth quarter Wednesday and finished with 12.[Click image for a larger version] MICHAEL AINSWORTH/DMNMICHAEL AINSWORTH/DMNJason Terry and the Mavericks fans enjoy a hands-on experience as they celebrate a win over the Wizards, giving them the best record in the West going into the All-Star break.The Mavericks got a little help from Washington coach Eddie Jordan, who incurred a technical foul with 6:54 left for protesting noncalls on two of his players' drives to the bucket. Nowitzki missed the free throw but canned a jumper on the ensuing possession to put the Mavericks up, 86-81.The Wizards crept back within 86-85 after two Butler baskets, but the Mavericks never lost the lead.It was Nowitzki and Josh Howard who pulled the Mavericks out of the fire. They scored eight consecutive Mavericks points after the Wizards had drawn within one.And yet, Butler's free throws with 2:20 left trimmed the lead to 97-94, and the Wizards had two chances to get closer. Butler finally converted with 1:14 left to make it a one-point game.http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dw...e.2fbf9891.html
