Dallas, TX (SportsNetwork.com) - Dirk Nowitzki led five Dallas players in double figures with 28 points to lead the Mavericks to a 116-106 win over the Detroit Pistons.
Jose Calderon added 17, Devin Harris scored 14 and Vince Carter and Monta Ellis finished with 13 and 11 points, respectively, for the Mavericks, who had dropped two straight entering the contest.
"Well every game is going to be tough in the NBA, but at the end of the day we executed a little bit better tonight. We made a few mistakes, but I think we really played a 48 minute game tonight even with those mistakes," Calderon said. "I think we did a pretty good in defense even with all of their offensive rebounds, but we were okay today."
Brandon Jennings scored 26 points with seven assists, Josh Smith had 25 points and Greg Monroe finished with 20 points and nine rebounds for the Pistons, losers in four straight.
Dallas led 56-46 at the start of the second half, but a 12-2 Detroit run tied things up at 58-58. Neither side took a lead larger than four points until Harris canned a triple for an 84-79 lead with 37 seconds remaining and the hosts took an 84-81 edge into the final frame.
The Mavs scored the first seven points of the fourth quarter to go up 94-81, but the Pistons battled back and made it a five-point game, 101-96, on Monroe's jumper with 5:44 to go.
Dallas scored eight straight to restore a 13-point edge, but the Pistons stayed alive as Jennings' three-point play made it 109-101 with 3:25 remaining.
A Calderon jumper opened up a 7-1 burst that was capped with Nowitzki's 3- pointer with 54 seconds left that put the game out of reach.
"We know Dirk. He's been doing this for a long time. The way he picks and pops, catches the ball, he either make a play for someone else or for himself," said Nowitzki. "He always seems to make those threes. That's what he's been doing for a long time."
Dallas led 28-25 after 12 minutes and took a 56-46 led into the break.
Game Notes
The Mavericks, which went 43-for-74 (58.1 percent) from the floor, have shot 50 percent or better 17 times this season, tied with Oklahoma City for third most in the NBA ... Dallas' season-high for field goal percentage is 58.3 percent ... Nowitzki was 10-for-16 from the field and 3-for-5 from 3- point range ... The Pistons scored 23 points on 17 Dallas turnovers ... Detroit outscored the Mavs 56-46 in the paint, but were just 16-for-28 from the free throw line.
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