It took eleven games but the Dallas Mavericks have finally climbed over the .500 mark with a 90-85 road win over the Boston Celtics.
The game was a physical one with high emotions that saw Mavericks coach Rick Carlisle ejected in the second half and a number of technical fouls handed out to both sides. The game got really exciting down the stretch when with Dallas up by three, Paul Pierce buried a three-pointer to tie the game at 85-58 with just 35 seconds remaining.
After a Mavericks' time out, Dirk Nowitzki drove around Kevin Garnet and was fouled at the rim by Brandon Bass while converting an impossible lay in to give Dallas the lead once again. Dirk converted the free throw and Boston's final possession resulted in a turnover to seal the victory.
Jason Terry led the way for Dallas with 18 points and four steals. Nowitzki finished with 16 points and seven rebounds while Shawn Marion added 15 and seven. Delonte West finished with 12 points, three assists and three steals for the Mavericks.
Rajon Rondo scored a game-high 24 points and handed out seven assists. Kevin Garnett added a double-double with 16 points and 10 rebounds. Ray Allen and Keyon Dooling each finished with nine points.
Mavs Moneyball has you covered for everything you want to know about the defending NBA champions, while CelticsBlog has all the latest news and notes on the Celtics.