Dirk Nowitzki and the Dallas Mavericks Gave the Milwaukee Bucks Their First Loss at Home This Season.(AP Photo/Morry Gash)
Fresh off of his 11th Western Conference Player of the Week award, Dirk Nowitzki decided to celebrate in style by scoring 32 points, grabbing 11 rebounds, dishing three assists, forcing two steals and, to top it all off, hitting the game winner as time expired in overtime.
"I thought it was going straight in. The bounce was obviously lucky," said Nowitzki, who scored seven of his 32 points in overtime. "When it bounced up, it seemed like it was up there forever. We got a lucky bounce and we definitely needed it."
The Milwaukee Bucks(5-3) had been 5-0 at home this year, but the Dallas Mavericks changed all that with a much needed victory, despite missing three of their projected five starters (Josh Howard, Erick Dampier, Shawn Marion). Shawn Marion went out after injuring his ankle early in the first quarter. Marion tried playing on the sprained ankle, but didn't come out of the tunnel after halftime. Dallas was also playing their fifth game in the last seven days.
Dallas led the majority of the game, and had an 18-point lead in the third quarter, but the Bucks kept battling back; ending every quarter with a flurry of threes. The Milwaukee bench led the comeback in the third quarter, outscoring the Dallas bench 20-2 in the quarter. Ersan Ilyasova scored 19 points to lead the Bucks off the bench, while also adding 12 rebounds and 4 of 7 shooting from 3 point range.Luke Ridnour also came off the bench and was 3 for 4 from behind the arc for 16 points, while also adding six assists.
Rookie Brandon Jennings, who scored 55 points in his previous outing against the Golden State Warriors, was largely held in check by Rodrigue Beaubois and the Dallas defense. Jennings did break out in the fourth quarter and overtime in which he scored 15 of his 25 total points for the game. Jennings also added eight rebounds and seven assists.
The point guard on the other side, Jason Kidd, started off strong and ended the first quarter with seven assists and finished with a season high 17 for the game. Kidd also set a season high in rebounds with 10 and was only one point away from the ... triple double of his career and first this season.
Drew Gooden started in place of Erick Dampier and had his best game in a Mavericks' uniform. Gooden scored a season high 22 points and set a season high for rebounds with 14. It was his second start for Dallas and his second double-double of the season.
Jason Terry scored 13 of his 19 points in the fourth quarter and overtime and seemed to make the big shot time and time again down the stretch.
The Dallas Mavericks weathered the storm, and managed to go 2-0 in their back-to-back and 3-1 for their four game road trip.
Dallas next game is against the San Antonio Spurs at 7:00 p.m. Wednesday (Nov.18) in Dallas, for their second game against Dallas in the last week. San Antonio won last Wednesday (Nov.11) 92-83 without Tony Parker and Tim Duncan.
Parker and Duncan are both expected to play.
great game, even better break down of the game
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