Michael Finley scored six of his 17 points during a game-turning run in the third quarter and the Dallas Mavericks held off a late charge to beat the San Antonio Spurs 95-92 Thursday night.

Finley's 14-foot jumper less than two minutes into the second half put the Mavericks ahead 50-49. It also ignited the 12-2 spurt that put Dallas in the lead to stay.

Dirk Nowitzki had 26 points and Antoine Walker had 22 points and 11 rebounds for the Mavericks, who have won all six home games this season.

The Spurs trailed by as many as 16 in the fourth quarter before an 11-2 spurt, getting to 88-82 on Manu Ginobili's 3-pointer with 2:46 left. By time Tim Duncan drove down the lane virtually untouched for a dunk, it was 92-90 with 18 seconds left.

But the Spurs, playing their first game in Dallas since clinching the Western Conference finals with an incredible Game 6 comeback here last May, couldn't get closer. Tony Parker and Duncan missed 3-pointers in the final 10 seconds.

Duncan had 30 points and 17 rebounds for the Spurs. Rasho Nesterovic had 18 points.

Steve Nash, coming off his first career triple-double, didn't get into double-figure scoring until hitting three straight free throws after Duncan's dunk. Nash finished with 12 points.

Even though Finley made just 5 of 17 shots, he was the difference in the third quarter. He added a jumper and after his ally-oop dunk from Shawn Bradley, the Mavs led 60-51.

Finley also made both of his free throws after Anthony Carter was called for a flagrant foul for grabbing Finley's jersey on a break. Finley was upset, and had to be separated from Carter before hitting the free throws.

The Mavericks didn't have any turnovers in the third quarter, when they outscored San Antonio 27-17.

It was the Spurs' first game in Dallas since that 90-78 win in Game 6 of the Western finals. They scored 23 straight points in the fourth quarter, including three 3-pointers by Steve Kerr, who has since retired and was broadcasting Thursday night's game on television.

When the Mavericks won 81-78 at San Antonio two weeks ago, the Spurs played without Duncan and Parker.

Dallas got within 47-46 after Nowitzki's 3-pointer off the break just before halftime.

Duncan's layup early in the second quarter gave the Spurs a 29-21 lead, their largest. Dallas then scored seven straight points, but didn't go back ahead until the third quarter.

Close

Today's Top News		Top Sports News
+Satellite set to rewrite Chinese space history ( 2003-11-20) +US gets warning on steel safeguards ( 2003-11-20) +British envoy among 27 killed in blasts ( 2003-11-21) +China postpones purchase team to US ( 2003-11-21) +Two-way meeting on 6-party talks ( 2003-11-20)		+Finley helps Mavericks edge Spurs 95-92 ( 2003-11-21) +China's Shang Shichun sets world record ( 2003-11-21) +First win for Chinese men ( 2003-11-21) +NBA: ABC, Rivers discussing analyst's position ( 2003-11-21) +China eyes on over two gold medals ( 2003-11-20)