Nash scored 17 of his career-high 39 points in the fourth quarter as the Mavericks overcame the loss of Nowitzki and snapped a three-game losing streak with a 105-103 victory over the Portland Trail Blazers.
Nowitzki, Dallas' All-Star power forward, already has missed two games this season due to an injured left ankle and did not return after hurting it again late in the second quarter.
 Steve Nash celebrates his career-high 39 points. Glenn James NBAE/Getty Images |
"We had one horse and rode it," Dallas coach Don Nelson said. "Nash had a super game. When Nowitzki went down, a lot of guys stood the test and did what they could do. Nash seemed to find a way to get that done."
"It wasn't like I constantly was thinking, 'Dirk's out, I've got to score'," Nash said. "I just wanted to play my game and if I scored, I scored. It felt good and the ball was going in. When you're feeling it, you just try to ride it out and make the most of it for the team."
Bonzi Wells nailed a 3-pointer to bring Portalnd within 87-86 with 3:43 remaining, but Nash responded with a runner 16 seconds later. After a missed 3-pointer by Wells, Nash sank a pair of free throws to make it 91-86 with 3:04 left.
Nash's 3-pointer with 1:18 to go gave Dallas an 96-87 cushion, but Portland's Damon Stoudamire responded with a shot from behind the arc with 42 seconds remaining.
The Blazers began to foul, but Nash -- a 92 percent (59-of-64) free-throw shooter entering the game -- made only half of his first six attempts. Meanwhile, Wells had a dunk and a layup and Derek Anderson made 1-of-2 free throw to bring Portland within 99-95 with 22 seconds left.
But Nash sank his final four free throws and Tim Hardaway made a pair before Anderson sank a 3-pointer at the buzzer to make the final score closer than the game actually was.
"We did not execute down the stretch," Wells said. "We've got to get better. We can't win one game, lose the next. We can't continue this trend all season or we'll be out of the playoffs early."
Michael Finley scored 20 points despite 7-of-26 shooting and Hardaway added 12 off the bench for the Mavs, who avoided their first four-game losing streak since the 1999-2000 season.
"Michael continued to struggle with his shot, but we just used what we had going for us, which wasn't much, and we hung on," Nelson said. "Nash had one of those super games, and the free throws down the end got him his career high, and the game and a happy coach."
Eduardo Najera contributed seven points, nine rebounds and three blocks for Dallas, which shot just 43 percent (37-of-86) but made 25-of-32 free throws.
Wells finished with 21 points and a season-high 13 rebounds and Stoudamire added 15 and 12 assists for Portland, which had six players in double figures and shot 50 percent (41-of-81).
Rasheed Wallace and Ruben Patterson scored 16 points apiece for the Blazers, who have lost three of their last four games.
"We should have won the game," coach Maurice Cheeks said. "Everything we talked about to win that game, they did and we didn't. They won the game with Michael Finley shooting 7-for-26, Nowitzki playing 15 minutes, and they win the game. That's a bad, disappointing loss."
Portland dominated the first quarter and had a 32-24 lead with 10:23 left in the second, but Dallas responded with a 10-2 run and took the lead on a jumper by Finley with 7:49 left.
The Mavericks had a 69-62 lead with 69 seconds left in the third quarter, but Portland went on an 8-0 run that carried into the final quarter.
Rick Brunson scored six points during the spurt and nailed a jumper to give the Blazers a 70-69 lead just 57 seconds into fourth, but neither team would lead by more than three until the final minutes.