Nowitzki scores 32, gets ejected, in Mavs’ win

By CHRIS DUNCAN, AP Sports Writer Oct 24, 12:13 am EDT

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HOUSTON (AP)—The Dallas Mavericks are glad the regular season is finally here. They’re also pretty happy the regular referees are returning to work.

Dirk Nowitzki(notes) scored 32 points then was ejected for arguing a call in the fourth quarter of the Mavericks’ 98-94 preseason victory over the Houston Rockets on Friday night.

Shawn Marion(notes) and Jason Kidd(notes) both added 14 points for the Mavericks (5-2) and Drew Gooden(notes) added 12 points and 10 rebounds. Marion returned for the preseason finale for both teams after missing the last four games with a strained right calf.

Carl Landry(notes) scored 22 points and Trevor Ariza(notes) added 17 for the Rockets (4-4).

About the same time the NBA’s regular referees agreed on a two-year contract and ended a lockout, the replacement refs had their hands full in the fourth quarter in Houston.

First, Gooden dragged down Pops Mensah-Bonsu(notes) while the two were going for a rebound. When Mensah-Bonsu got up, Gooden shoved him, knocking Mensah-Bonsu’s red headband askew.

The referees conferred and issued technical fouls to both players. Gooden assumed he had been ejected and went straight to the locker room. But he had not been thrown out and returned to the court a few minutes later.

“I was kind of confused,” Gooden said. “I asked my coaches, ‘Am I out?’ They said, ‘Yeah, you’re out.’ I was more happy coming back and the fans, to see how they were going to react after they gave me the nice booing as I went to the locker room. I wondered if they were going to cheer for me when I came back out. But I got booed again.”

Nowitzki, who picked up his fifth foul early in the fourth quarter, returned with 4:01 left and Dallas leading 88-85.

He was called for his sixth foul only 12 seconds later, fighting Mensah-Bonsu for a rebound. Nowitzki protested and referee Lorenzo Bronson gave him a technical foul and ejected him.

Nowitzki said the replacement refs performed well during the preseason, but was glad to hear the regular officials will return in time for the start of the regular season.

“Obviously, the other refs are the best in the world, and we’re looking forward to getting them back,” Nowitzki said. “We’re glad the preseason is over.”

The referees called a total of five technical fouls in the game. Like Nowitzki, Dallas coach Rick Carlisle praised the backup refs for their work in the preseason.

“Through it all, they’ve maintained a very even-keeled disposition,” Carlisle said. “They’ve been tested on multiple occasions in every game they worked. They’re trying their best and that’s all we can ask.”

Kidd banked in a 3-pointer with 1:01 left to put Dallas up 90-87, and after a Houston turnover, Kris Humphries(notes) hit a shot from the perimeter to push lead to five. Kidd went 6 of 6 from the free-throw line over the last 26 seconds to keep Houston at bay.

Dallas outrebounded Houston 50-40 and held the Rockets to 22 percent shooting from 3-point range (6 of 27).

“You are reminded of how you win close games and in this game, we didn’t come up with key offensive rebounds and didn’t execute down the stretch,” Houston forward Shane Battier(notes) said. “Sometimes you forget about that in the preseason, because you’re trying to get new guys acclimated to new plays.”

Nowitzki scored 14 points on 6-for-6 shooting in the first quarter and the Mavs led 27-24.

Marion also hit his first six shots, including a driving, one-hander midway through the second quarter. The Rockets finished the half on an 11-3 run to take a 56-48 lead. Houston hit nine of 14 shots in the second quarter.

Dallas opened the second half with a 16-2 run as the Rockets missed their first eight shots. Nowitzki scored 11 points in the quarter and Dallas took an 81-76 lead into the fourth.

NOTES: Mavericks C Erick Dampier(notes) didn’t make the short trip with the team for what Carlisle called “a personal situation.” … Rockets F Luis Scola(notes) sat out for the third time in four games with a sprained right ankle.

Updated Oct 24, 12:13 am EDT
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Sat Dec 5, 2009, 10:00 pm EST

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26 Comments

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  1. blackdiamonds
    26. Posted by blackdiamonds Mon Oct 26 5:05pm EDT

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    @ #10 Joey: Comments like yours evoke a terse retort however since I can't understand what you are trying to convey, you wouldn't understand my response. GO GOODEN!
  2. Lind
    25. Posted by Lind Mon Oct 26 2:02pm EDT

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    NBgay is well flaming.
  3. Mavrick007
    24. Posted by Mavrick007 Mon Oct 26 12:33pm EDT

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    I was behind Coach Adelman until last night, for a team to take 27 3pt shots and only make 6 is very poor Head Coaching. The Rocket players are very undisiplined in their shot selection and it will definitely have adverse effects during the comming abominable season, i will send T-Mac plenty of tissue...
  4. <i>rmichael1961</i>
    22. Posted by rmichael1961 Sun Oct 25 8:17pm EDT

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    They let fat, Arab @#$%s into an American basketball game, with thousands of fans on hand? I hope they were searched for bombs first! The fans, not the @#$%s. Arabs don't scare me nearly as much as your average American!
  5. Barney
    21. Posted by Barney Sun Oct 25 5:31pm EDT

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    go mavs
  6. LUVSTER
    20. Posted by LUVSTER Sun Oct 25 1:34pm EDT

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    I saw the game and the refs did suck that night about Dirk.
    Sheesh,,, Dirk? Come on refs... both players touched each other,
    big @#$%ing deal. Should have been no call near the basket.
    And who were those fat Arab rag heads at the game in front.?
    Annoying...
  7. <i>jayyolf1</i>
    17. Posted by jayyolf1 Sun Oct 25 3:48am EDT

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    Sorry Mavs, but you can't hang with the CHAMPION LAKERS!!!! or San Antonio

    oh yeah, one more time for mark cuban and the rest of you haters: LAKERS 2009 NBA CHAMPIONS!!!!!!
  8. mayra
    16. Posted by mayra Sun Oct 25 12:42am EDT

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    go mavs
  9. The Root
    15. Posted by The Root Sat Oct 24 8:14pm EDT

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    mavs are great and marvelous and they are my favorite but so sad to admit going into finals is a little far off. they need miracles.
  10. <i>orangejuicer</i>
    14. Posted by orangejuicer Sat Oct 24 8:02pm EDT

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    He picked up his sixth foul. He was already done. Getting ejected was just for show.
  11. Steven
    13. Posted by Steven Sat Oct 24 7:21pm EDT

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    hey number 12 stop stealing my name.
  12. <i>paul24ortiz</i>
    12. Posted by paul24ortiz Sat Oct 24 3:58pm EDT

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    GO SPURS GO! Mavs in the finals? Evien if they did, they would blow it like they did against Miami. Couldn't even win a gimme Finals........ Spurs are back! We are stacked, but admit the Lakers are the team to beat, not the Mavs!!!!!!
  13. Steven
    11. Posted by Steven Sat Oct 24 3:31pm EDT

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    @#$% the referees and most of them suck. You don't throw out a player for voicing his opinion YOU STUPID REFEREE. You made a bad call that's why he challenged it. Fans pay big bucks to come to these games and these stupid referees eject them. Dumb ass referees!
  14. Joey
    10. Posted by Joey Sat Oct 24 3:19pm EDT

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    Every year i forget how good Dirk is, but then I remember, and then I think about how much the Mavs suck. Ha. People riding DREW GOODENS nuts?????! WTF, dude.
  15. Kevin
    9. Posted by Kevin Sat Oct 24 3:07pm EDT

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    The MAvs will be in the Finals this year and win it all. Get ready for an exciting season watching them play.
  16. J Inyermug
    8. Posted by J Inyermug Sat Oct 24 2:55pm EDT

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    Yeah Maverick fans, Gooden owns, Danmpier is good, Marion helps. This again shows how uneducated you fans about NBA basketball. This is a never ending cycle, winning record during the season, lose in the playoffs, poor draft, and dumb optimism in the off season.
  17. bball queen
    7. Posted by bball queen Sat Oct 24 10:00am EDT

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    Love to see this fire in Dirk. This team has such great potential and they are gonna surprise a lot of people this season. Too bad things didn't work out with Gortat..but Marion seems to be a perfect fit! Go Mavs.
  18. greg h
    6. Posted by greg h Sat Oct 24 8:05am EDT

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    It was a good game till H-town got frustrated :P MAVs will do MUCH better than people think this year.
  19. GoodenOwns
    5. Posted by GoodenOwns Sat Oct 24 1:56am EDT

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    Drew Gooden owns!!!
  20. Sleman A
    4. Posted by Sleman A Sat Oct 24 12:06am EDT

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    Damp isn't bad. He just has stone for hands. Plus he shows up about 10 to 15 games a season and gives us a double double. By the way they have beaten the "elite" teams. This years Mavs also look a little different in a good way. We will see but I think this year will be fun going to games. GO MAVS!!!!!!!!!!!MFFL
  21. Stancil
    3. Posted by Stancil Sat Oct 24 12:04am EDT

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    steven dont forget he needs a bib!
  22. jl
    2. Posted by jl Fri Oct 23 11:37pm EDT

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    GO mavs! Please try beating teams that are said to be elite..boston, orlando, cavs..all you need is confidence, health and a real center!get one now!!!
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Top Performers

 Top Performers
 Dallas
D. Nowitzki Dirk Nowitzki
11-19,  32 Pts
7 Rebs, 0 Assists
 Houston
K. Lowry Kyle Lowry
4-8,  16 Pts
7 Rebs, 9 Assists

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