Mavericks 90, Spurs 85

SAN ANTONIO (AP) - Dirk Nowitzki and the Mavericks won a game that Manu Ginobili said the Spurs needed but “just couldn’t take.”

San Antonio is getting used to that feeling when Dallas comes to town.
Nowitzki scored a season-high 36 points to lead the Mavs to their 13th straight victory, 90-85 over the Spurs on Friday night.

The Spurs lost their third straight. It also was Dallas’ third straight victory in San Antonio, dating to Game 7 of last season’s Western Conference semifinals.

“Early we didn’t play well. They got whatever they wanted, beat us to every loose ball and they got too many offensive rebounds,” Nowitzki said. “In the second half our effort was a lot better. We had a bounce in our step. We kept making big plays.”