Nowitzki, Mavericks Win 5th Straight With Win Over Celtics

Dirk Nowitzki scored 23 points as the Dallas Mavericks beat the Boston Celtics, 106-102 Wednesday. The Mavericks’ win was their fifth consecutive victory and it snapped the Celtics’ three-game winning streak.

Nowitzki, who shot 9-of-17 field goals and grabbed 7 rebounds, got great support from the rest of the Dallas’ starters.

Center Zaza Pachulia posted a double-double of 14 points and 12 rebounds while Wes Matthews and Deron Williams added 18 and 16 points, respectively. Chandler Parson, who is still playing limited minutes, had 8 points on 4-of-6 shooting in 21 minutes.

The Celtics opened the game with a 31-16 first quarter but Dallas made a comeback in the second after outscoring the Celtics, 29-23. The Mavericks continued their good play on the road after the break and outscored the Cs in the final quarter, 36-24.

The losing team was led by point guard Isaiah Thomas, who had 19 points and 6 assists. Jared Sullinger continues his good play starting at the center spot to finish with 18 points and 12 rebounds. Off the bench, Avery Bradley added 18 points.

Dallas’ five-game winning streak includes impressive wins against the Los Angeles Clippers and Houston Rockets. The Mavericks aim for a sixth straight win when they host the Utah Jazz Friday.

Boston’s three-game winning streak was even more impressive with wins at Oklahoma City and Houston Rockets and versus the Atlanta Hawks. The Cs aim to get back to the win column Friday when they face the Brooklyn Nets.