Mavs Take Series Lead Over Spurs
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DALLAS — Nearly standing with his heels on the sideline, guard Vince Carter sank a desperation 3-pointer to give the feisty, eighth-seeded Dallas Mavericks a 109-108 victory over the top-seeded San Antonio Spurs on Saturday and an unlikely 2-1 lead in the first-round series.
It was another remarkable game played by the two longtime Texas rivals. Only moments earlier, Spurs guard Manu Ginobili delivered what looked like would be the winner, spinning home an awkward leaner over Dallas center Sam Dalembert with 1.7 seconds left.
Dallas called a timeout and designed a play. With guard Monta Ellis and forward Dirk Nowitzki bottled up, Carter broke free in the corner. He double-clutched and let it go. It hit nothing but the bottom of the net.
The Mavs, who had lost nine regular-season games to the Spurs, have now won two of three in the heated playoff series and could further stun a Spurs team that won 62 games in the regular season in Game 4 on Monday night.
Dallas continued to frustrate the Spurs with their switching defense while getting help throughout the lineup offensively. Nowitzki finished with 18 points but again was not the Mavs’ primary scorer. That was Ellis, who delivered 29 points, including 12 in the fourth quarter. Guard Jose Calderon had another strong game with 16 points on 7-for-10 shooting from the field.
Carter, the hero who has had all kinds of trouble just getting 3-point looks in the series — he was 1-for-3 in the first two games — finished with 11 points on 3-for-8 shooting overall. The winning 3-pointer was his lone 3 of the game on three attempts.
The Spurs are relying heavily on point guard Tony Parker, who had 19
points and six assists, and forward Tim Duncan, who scored 22 points a day after turning 38. Forward Kawhi Leonard stepped up with 17 points and five steals and Ginobili finished with 12.
Ginobili hit two free throws with 3:43 left in the third quarter and guard Patty Mills then made one of two give the Spurs a 70-69 lead, their first lead since 49-48 in the second quarter. But Dallas, as it has done all series, turned Spurs turnovers into transition baskets to flop the momentum.
The Mavericks ended the third quarter with a 4-0 spurt to head into the fourth quarter with a 77-74 lead.
Dallas used a 14-5 run at the end of the second quarter, highlighted by back-to-back 3-pointers by forward Shawn Marion, to take a 59-54 lead into halftime.
San Antonio scored 34 points in the first quarter but managed just 20 in each the second and third quarters against a Mavs defense that ranked in the bottom 10 of the league virtually all season.
