Mavs end regular season with blowout victory

The Dallas Mavericks finished the regular season with a 121-89 blowout over the New Orleans Hornets before a sellout crowd at the American Airlines Center. It is the Mavericks largest margin of victory (32) of the season (previous 28, 101-73, vs. Golden State on 3/20/11).  It is the fourth straight win for the Mavs.  With the win, the Mavericks finished the regular season with a record of 57-25. It’s tied for their fifth best record in team history (also finished 57-25 in 2001-02). They have recorded at least 55 wins in seven of the last 11 seasons.

Dirk Nowitzki, who entered the meeting with New Orleans averaging 19.6 points per game over his last five games, scored 19 points before intermission on Wednesday. He finished with a game-high 32 points to go along with six rebounds. Dallas was 9-3 when Nowitzki scored 30-plus in a game this season.

With a theft at the 4:09 mark of the first quarter, Shawn Marion became just the fifth player in NBA history to record 1,500 steals and 1,000 blocks. He joined Hakeem Olajuwon, Karl Malone, Kevin Garnett and Julius Erving.

J.J. Barea tallied 14 points, five rebounds and eight assists vs. New Orleans on Wednesday. He scored in double figures in eight of his final nine games.

Seven Mavericks scored in double figures in the win. Dallas finished the 2010-11 season with a record of 16-1 when at least six players scored 10-plus points in a game.

The Mavericks next game will be round 1 of the NBA Playoffs.