NEW YORK // Dirk Nowitzki called it “probably the ugliest game-winner I ever shot,” and this is how he described it.
“Basically it hit the board, every part of the rim, hit Jerry West over there (the logo on the backboard), came back over and it was definitely an ugly, ugly shot,” he said.
But when the 19-foot jumper bounced up and then fell in as time expired, the Dallas Mavericks had a 110-108 victory over the New York Knicks on Monday night.
The Mavericks blew an eight-point lead in the final 90 seconds, then pulled out their third straight victory when Nowitzki’s jumper that seemed to have missed instead fell through.
“I didn’t even feel like celebrating it was so ugly,” Nowitzki said.
His teammates and Mavericks owner Mark Cuban did it for him, rushing onto the floor after Dallas moved into seventh place in the Western Conference.
Carmelo Anthony had 44 points and nine rebounds for the Knicks. He played strong defense on the Mavericks’ final possession, but was left standing in disbelief long after the buzzer after Nowitzki’s shot appeared to hit the backboard first, then the front rim, then bounced up before dropping.
“It was like a needle in a balloon right there,” Anthony said. “It sucks all the air out of you. He hit a hell of a shot.”
Vince Carter made seven 3-pointers and scored a season-high 23 points. Monta Ellis had 22 for Dallas (35-23), which has won nine of 11 and is a season-best 12 games over .500.
Jose Calderon finished with 20 points for the Mavericks, who swept a three-game road trip and beat the Knicks for the 20th time in the last 25 meetings. Nowitzki had just 15 points after missing all five 3-point attempts.
“That’s one thing about the greatest players. I played with (Larry) Bird for three years. He took more pleasure in hitting a game-winning shot after he missed eight or nine in a row than having a great game at times,” Dallas coach Rick Carlisle said.
Tyson Chandler had 12 points and 12 rebounds against his former team, sparking the Knicks’ comeback after they trailed 108-100 with 1:37 left. But New York (21-36) lost for the sixth time in seven games and fell a season-worst 15 games below .500.
BUCKS 130, 76ERS 110
PHILADELPHIA // O.J. Mayo made seven 3-pointers and scored 25 points, Ersan Ilyasova added 20, and Milwaukee placed seven players in double figures in a rout of Philadelphia, which lost its 11th straight game.
Ramon Sessions had 16 points, Khris Middleton and Brandon Knight scored 15 each, and Giannis Antetokounmpo posted 13 for the Bucks (11-45), who own the NBA’s worst record. John Henson chipped in 12 points for the Bucks, who had their highest scoring game of the season.
Philadelphia (15-42), which has the league’s second worst record, has lost 21 of 24 and 10 straight at home. It is the club’s longest skid since a 12-game losing streak during the 1996-97 season.
Thaddeus Young led the 76ers with 28 points, Michael Carter-Williams added 20, Tony Wroten had 19, and James Anderson scored 13.
The Bucks had lost two in a row, 21 of 24, and 10 straight on the road. Their last away victory was against the Los Angeles Lakers on Dec. 31, 2013.
Philadelphia trailed 73-44 at halftime, the most points the 76ers had allowed in any half this season.
WARRIORS 104, PISTONS 96
AUBURN HILLS, Mich. // Stephen Curry had 19 points, nine assists and eight rebounds, and Golden State clamped down on Detroit in the second half of a victory.
Klay Thompson scored 19 points for Golden State, which has won four in a row. The Pistons have lost five of seven since firing Maurice Cheeks and replacing him with interim coach John Loyer.
The Warriors were still without David Lee, who has been dealing with a stomach flu. Andrew Bogut returned from a left shoulder injury and played 29 minutes before fouling out.
Greg Monroe had 23 points for the Pistons, who scored only 13 in the fourth quarter. The Pistons were down 63-62 at halftime but couldn’t replicate that offensive success.
The Warriors, who began a six-game trip, have won six straight over the Pistons for the first time since a seven-game streak from 1975-76.
Golden State’s reserves outscored Detroit’s 42-15. The Warriors (35-22) are a season-high 13 games over .500.
CLIPPERS 123, PELICANS 110
NEW ORLEANS // Jamal Crawford hit seven 3s on his way to 24 points, and the Los Angeles Clippers beat New Orleans.
Crawford picked up where he left off in Oklahoma City on Sunday, when he made five 3-pointers and finished with 36 points in Los Angeles’ victory.
Chris Paul had 19 points and 13 assists in his latest return to New Orleans, and Blake Griffin added 22 points. All five Clippers starters and two reserves scored in double figures.
DeAndre Jordan had 14 points and 16 rebounds. Matt Barnes, Darren Collison and Hedo Turkoglu each scored 12.
Anthony Davis had 26 points and 11 rebounds for New Orleans. Alexis Ajinca had 19 points and 12 rebounds, both career highs.
JAZZ 110, CELTICS 98
SALT LAKE CITY // Alec Burks had 21 points, and Derrick Favors scored 20 in his return from a hip injury to power Utah to a rare win over Boston, which lost its fifth straight game.
Favors had missed the previous three games because of a sprained right hip injury he aggravated in the opening moments against Philadelphia on Feb. 12. But the center established himself early with four baskets and bolstered Utah’s leaky defense.
Marvin Williams made 8 of 10 shots and scored 19 points for the Jazz, who broke a three-game losing streak and snapped a six-game skid to the Celtics.
Jeff Green and Kelly Olynyk each had 21 points for Boston, which dropped all four games on its road trip.
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