RECAP | BOX SCORE | GAME FLOW

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. (AP) _ Stephon Marbury scored 20 points and drove the length of the court for a go-ahead layup with 24.5 seconds left Saturday as the New Jersey Nets beat the Dallas Mavericks 98-95.

Marbury, who also added eight assists to pass 2,000 for his career, helped spark a late rally that denied Mavericks coach Don Nelson his 900th career victory. Nelson is 899-736.

Kendall Gill led the Nets with 23 points, tying his season-high, with seven rebounds, five steals and four assists. Kerry Kittles was the defensive star, blocking a shot that led to Marbury's go-ahead layup and limiting Michael Finley, the Mavs' leading scorer, to just 10 points.

Cedric Ceballos led Dallas with 36 points.

The Nets trailed 88-83 with 6:32 to play when Marbury drove and was fouled for a three-point play. Dirk Nowitzki hit a 3-point basket for the Mavericks before Gill converted a three-point play to make it 91-89.

Marbury followed with a pull-up in the lane, Finley hit a baseline jumper and Kittles hit a 3-pointer to give the Nets a 94-93 lead with 1:29 left.

Ceballos hit a jumper for Dallas with 1:11 remaining, but those were the last points the Mavericks would score.

After Kittles missed a 3, he blocked a drive by Ceballos at the Dallas end with 30 seconds to play. The ball ended up in Marbury's hands and the Nets guard took it up the floor, drove the lane and hit the basket.

Scott Burrell added two free throws with 4.3 seconds remaining and Nowitzki's desperate 3-pointer at the buzzer never made it to the rim.

Notes: Gary Trent left the game for Dallas late in the first quarter after aggravating a groin injury. ... Nets veteran reserve guard Sherman Douglas underwent successful surgery on his left ankle Friday and will have to stay off his feet for 6-8 weeks before beginning rehab. ... Also Friday the Nets activated 7-foot-7 Gheorghe Muresan from the injured list and placed Michael Cage on the IL with a sprained big left toe. Muresan underwent surgery on his left knee on Dec. 15 and was expected to be out until mid-February but recovered quicker than expected. He did not play.