Warriors 105, Mavericks 99 (OT)
DALLAS -- Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry scored a game-high 31 points with nine assists, outdueling Dallas guard O.J. Mayo and helping the Warriors to a 105-99 overtime victory over the Mavericks on Monday night at the American Airlines Center.
The Warriors, coming off Sunday's loss at Oklahoma City, overcame 21 turnovers and awful shooting to take their record to 6-5 on the season as they still wait for game-changing center Andrew Bogut to return from an ankle injury.
Golden State's ever-improving defense did the job again, limiting the Mavs to 42.4 percent shooting and holding Dallas to below 30 percent for the majority of the first three quarters. It was the eighth time in their first 11 games that the Warriors held their opponent to below 44 percent shooting.
Despite shooting just 40.7 percent, Golden State dominated the boards, held the Mavs to three points in the final 3:57 of regulation and then scored the final six points of overtime, led by Curry. Golden State scored the first seven points of overtime to lead 97-90, but Mayo reeled off seven consecutive points to tie it and scored all nine of Dallas' points in overtime.
The Warriors went ahead to stay on David Lee's layup off a Curry feed with 32 seconds left, which gave Golden State a 101-99 lead.
Golden State's front line dominated Dallas. Rookie Harrison Barnes had 20 points and 12 rebounds and Lee posted 17 points and 17 rebounds. The Warriors held a 62-43 edge in rebounds and 19-7 on the offensive boards.
Mayo finished with a team-high 27 points after scoring just four at halftime. But only two other Mavs scored in double figures. Center Chris Kaman had 18 points and Troy Murphy had 12 on four 3-pointers.
Barnes and Lee each scored 10 points and Curry had 11 as the Warriors led the Mavericks 43-38 at halftime of a sloppy, disjointed game.
Both teams entered Monday's game boasting excellent defensive field-goal percentages, the Warriors ranking in the top five and the Mavs close behind. But, defense aside, both teams were atrocious shooting the basketball for most of the opening half.
After Dallas shot 8-for-23 in the first quarter, it opened the second quarter 2-for-11, a span that allowed the Warriors to build a 10-point lead. But Golden State's inability to score consistently, combined with mistakes -- nine turnovers -- helped Dallas quickly cut the deficit.
Mayo missed his first four shots before finally getting on the board with a couple of free throws with 4:08 to go in the half, pulling Dallas to within 35-27. He got his first jumper to go down with 3:28 left and then fed Brandan Wright for a dunk to make it 35-31.
While shots were clanging left and right, both teams did hit their fair share of 3-pointers. Five of Golden State's 18 baskets came from beyond the arc, and three of Dallas' 13 baskets were 3-pointers.
Notes: Notes: Shawn Marion recorded his 700th career 3-pointer in the fourth quarter. ... Mavs swingman Vince Carter left the game in the fourth quarter with a right leg injury, but was able to return. He missed the potential game-winning shot in regulation . . . Warriors forward Richard Jefferson was questionable before Monday's game with a calf strain and did not play. He sustained the injury Sunday at Oklahoma City. ... Mavericks coach Rick Carlisle and owner Mark Cuban both acknowledged that star Dirk Nowitzki has escalated his workload as he rehabilitates from arthroscopic surgery on his right knee on Oct. 19, but neither would address a target date for his return. ... Rebounding has earned Mavs rookie center Bernard James minutes over Wright as the backup center behind Chris Kaman.
