Shane Larkin scores career-high 18, Mavs edge Suns

ShaneLarkinCanes
PHOENIX—Rookie Shane Larkin, son of baseball Hall of Famer Barry Larkin, scored a career-high 18 points, including two free throws with 11.1 seconds to play, and the Dallas Mavericks held on to beat the Phoenix Suns 110-107 on Friday night.

The Suns had a last chance to tie it when Vince Carter turned it over trying to inbound the ball after a basket by Phoenix with 6.7 seconds left. But P.J. Tucker's try from the corner rimmed out, and replays showed his foot was on the line so it would have been for two points, anyway.

Monta Ellis scored 24 and Dirk Nowitzki 21 for the Mavericks, who never trailed.

Shawn Marion scored eight of his 16 in the third quarter for Dallas.

Goran Dragic scored 28 points, and Markieff Morris added 23, including 14 in the final quarter, and grabbed 12 rebounds.

Morris' twin brother Marcus scored 13 for the Suns, who have lost four of five.

Dallas led 104-94 after Larkin's running 5-footer with 2:53 to go. Markieff Morris' four-point play with 2:30 to go cut it to 103-98, but Nowitzki sank a 20-footer and it was 106-98 with 1:47 to go.

Larkin's two free throws put Dallas ahead 108-101 with 1:19 left, then Dragic led the Suns on a frenzied run.

His driving layup, followed by his 5-footer cut the lead to 108-105 with 14.1 seconds to play. Larkin's two free throws boosted it to 110-105 with 11.1 seconds to go. Dragic scored again inside to trim it to 110-107 with 6.7 seconds remaining, then Carter lost the ball and touched it again while he was trying to inbound it for a turnover giving the Suns one last chance.

Dragic found Tucker for the open jumper, but it rolled around the rim and came out. Television replays showed Tucker's foot was on 3-point line so it would not have tied the game anyway.

Dallas shot out to 23-12 lead on Nowitzki's 3-pointer and was up 44-34 after Larkin's 3-pointer with 8:22 left in the half.

Phoenix scored the next eight, cutting it to 44-42 on Markieff Morris' length-of-the-court pass to Tucker for a layup. The Suns cut the lead to one three times in quarter, the last at 51-50 on Gerald Green's 3-pointer with 4:03 left in the half. Dallas led 58-56 at the break.

The Suns briefly tied it on Dragic's jumper to start the second half, then Dallas took off again. Marion and Carter each sank a 3 in a 9-2 run that gave the Mavericks their biggest lead, 84-72 with 2:28 left in the third quarter.

(denverpost.com)
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