Dallas

Dragic Scores 32, Heat Top Mavericks 99-95

Goran Dragic had 32 points, Tyler Johnson scored 10 of his 23 in the fourth quarter and the Miami Heat topped the Dallas Mavericks 99-95 on Thursday night.

Dragic shot 11 for 15 from the field and 4 of 4 from 3-point range. He also got a big offensive rebound in the final minute to extend a possession, and Johnson made a pair of free throws with 29.9 seconds left to give Miami an eight-point lead.

Hassan Whiteside scored 13 and Dion Waiters added 12 for the Heat.

Dirk Nowitzki scored 19 points for Dallas, which had its season-best three-game winning streak snapped. The Mavericks went 1 for 8 from the field during a late stretch of the fourth quarter and never got the lead again.

Wesley Matthews scored 18 for the Mavericks, who got 15 apiece from Harrison Barnes and Seth Curry.

Nowitzki made two of three free throws with 18.5 seconds left to get the Mavs within 95-92. The Heat needed to burn two timeouts before even getting the ball inbounded on the ensuing possession, and Johnson hit two from the line five seconds later to help seal the win.

Dragic tied a career best for shooting percentage when taking at least 15 shots; he was 11 of 15 on two other occasions, both with Phoenix. It was also the fourth time he was 4 for 4 from 3-point range in a regular-season game -- he was 5 for 5 once, in a 2010 playoff game with the Suns.

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TIP-INS

Mavericks: Nowitzki took Dallas' first four shots. ... J.J. Barea scored 13 points and has reached double figures in 11 of his 17 games this season. At 32, he's on pace to average more than 12 points a game for the first time. ... Dallas took only 11 free throws to Miami's 29.

Heat: Miami is up to 170 games missed by players for illness or injury this season, most in the NBA. ... Okaro White made his NBA debut in the first quarter. He was signed to a 10-day deal earlier this week. ... Wayne Ellington got his 1,000th career rebound and is one 3-pointer shy of 500.

PROMOTION ISSUE

A fan avoided injury when a door -- depicting a hotel room door -- on a wheeled frame fell over on her during a promotion after the first quarter. The promotion had several fans slide hotel "keys" into the door, and the one that worked would win a hotel stay. Heat officials said the woman was fine, and the game was delayed a couple of minutes while some cosmetic scrapes to the floor were removed.

BOGUT CLOSER

Dallas center Andrew Bogut missed his fourth straight game with a right hamstring strain. He worked out on the court before the game and is improving, though he isn't expected to play Friday against Utah.

UP NEXT

Mavericks: Host the Utah Jazz on Friday. Dallas is 0-7 on the second night of back-to-backs this season.

Heat: Host the Milwaukee Bucks on Saturday. Miami is 1-1 against the Bucks, with both teams winning at home.

Copyright The Associated Press
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