New York, NY (Sports Network) - Dirk Nowitzki scored a season-high 39 points and hauled in 15 rebounds to lead the Dallas Mavericks to a 124-114 overtime victory over the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden.
Josh Howard added season-highs of 31 points and 14 boards for the Mavs, who snapped a five-game skid. Jason Terry poured in 20 points and had four steals, while Brandon Bass and James Singleton had 12 points apiece.
Zach Randolph chipped in 27 points and 18 boards for the Knicks, who lost for just the second time in their last seven games. Quentin Richardson had 17 points in the loss, while Jamal Crawford and Chris Duhon had 16 points each.
Four points from Nowitzki, two free throws from Bass and a three from Nowitzki gave the Mavs a 120-112 lead with 2:57 left in OT.
The Knicks called a timeout to regroup, and Duhon drove for a layup but was fouled. He hit both shots to make it a six-point game.
Six was as close as the Knicks got, as Dallas outscored New York 19-2 in the last 7:26 of the game. The home team didn't help their own cause as the Knicks missed their last 14 field goals of the game.
The Knicks led 35-26 after the first quarter, but the Mavs closed it to 64-57 at the half.
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A Wilson Chandler jumper and Randolph three-point play gave the Knicks an 82-73 lead with five minutes left in the third stanza.
However, a 13-4 Dallas run tied the game at 86-86. Bass' jumper sparked the run and Jose Barea's three-ball closed it out with 93 seconds left in the third.
New York sported a 91-89 lead heading into the final 12 minutes.
The Mavs were within one point, but Duhon and Richardson drained threes. Then Duhon connected on a layup and Randolph dropped a jumper, countered by only a Dallas basket from Howard, as New York opened a 105-96 lead with 7:31 left in the game.
Dallas, refusing to go quietly, got five straight points from Howard and a Bass dunk to cut it to 105-103.
The home team's lead hovered around five, and a Nowitzki fadeaway from the baseline made it 112-110 with 1:27 showing on the clock.
Richardson's hook shot was no good at the other end and Jason Kidd corralled the rebound for Dallas. Howard's three-pointer was no good, but the ball was ruled to go off a Knick and Dallas maintained possession.
Terry then hit a jumper to tie it at 112 with under a minute left.
Richardson tried a bank shot but it caromed out, but the rebound went right back to him and his second attempt failed as well. A scrum ensued in front of the basket and Dallas was awarded possession with 9.5 ticks left.
On the inbounds pass following a timeout, Terry got the ball at the top of the arc, dribbled to fake out Duhon and took a shot from just inside the three- point line at the top of the key. His bid, though, banked off the rim and the teams headed for overtime.
