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RECAP
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BOX SCORE
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GAME FLOW
DALLAS (AP) -- After a slow start, the Dallas Mavericks did their
best to make Donnie Nelson a winner in his first game replacing his
ailing dad as coach.
Jerry Stackhouse got in the way with what his coach called his
best game of the season.
|  | | Assistant-turned-acting-coach Donnie Nelson watches his Mavs fall a few baskets short of winning their first game without Don Nelson. |
Stackhouse scored three of his 33 points on free throws in the
final 26 seconds and Joe Smith had season-highs of 28 points and 15
rebounds as the Detroit Pistons pulled out a 107-104 victory
Wednesday night.
Stackhouse also had eight assists and seven rebounds, prompting
coach George Irvine to call this Stackhouse's best game of the
season.
"We needed one like that," Stackhouse said. "We gave
ourselves a chance all night long by doing the right things,
especially in the late stretches. We did all the things that coach
has talked about."
Well, almost all. Irvine would've liked Stackhouse to have hit
both of his foul shots with 11.8 seconds left, but he missed one,
giving the Mavericks a last chance. Steve Nash missed two
3-pointers on the final possession.
The weight of an emotionally wrenching night hit Donnie Nelson
when the buzzer sounded. His head dropped and shoulders slouched,
then he walked quietly off the court to wish his father well with
his prostate cancer surgery planned for early Thursday in Utah.
"Once the game went up it was pretty natural," said the
younger Nelson, an NBA assistant for 15 years. "Afterwards it was
hard. Coach did not react very well to some of his medication."
Don Nelson had hoped to coach this game, but decided to sit it
out about three hours before tipoff because he was feeling the
effects of medication and a two-day fast from solid foods.
He watched the game on television from the coach's locker room,
then took owner Mark Cuban's plane to Salt Lake City for treatment
at the Huntsman Cancer Institute. He's expected to be out for
6-to-8 weeks.
"He didn't talk to us tonight," center Shawn Bradley said.
"We all knew he wasn't going to be here. He needs to get his mind
right for what's coming up. We'll miss him, but we understand the
situation. We'll be thinking of him."
The crowd acknowledged the elder Nelson by signing a "Get Well
Nellie" banner as they arrived, then seeing it paraded around the
court during pregame introductions. A youngster waved a poster that
read "Get Wellie Nellie."
The Mavericks came out flat, though, giving up a season-worst 35
points in the first quarter and missing their first 10 3-pointers
to fall behind by 15.
Donnie Nelson spent most of the first half crouched near
midcourt. He became more animated in the second half, prancing the
sideline, screaming encouragement and often trying body English on
Dallas' shots. It worked as the Mavs rallied to a 66-63 lead midway
through the third quarter.
Detroit went back out front 95-85 and 100-92 in the fourth quarter,
but Dallas got consecutive 3-pointers by Dirk Nowitzki to cap a
12-2 run and tie the game at 102 with 2:26 left.
Nowitzki, who had 19 of his 25 points in the second half,
could've put Dallas ahead on the next possession but the 82-percent
foul shooter missed two free throws.
Stackhouse and Dallas' Michael Finley, who had 35 points, traded
baskets, then Stackhouse was fouled in the lane and hit two free
throws with 25.6 seconds left to end Detroit's three-game losing
streak.
Smith, who was heavily pursued by Dallas after his Minnesota
contract was voided, broke his previous season-best of 23 points on
a tip-in at the end of the third quarter.
"The fans were yelling some stuff, but it wasn't about showing
them what could have been," Smith said. "I felt good out there.
My release felt good. We needed this game to start the year off on
a good note."
Nowitzki had 12 rebounds and Nash had 22 points, nine assists
and six rebounds as Dallas lost for the second straight time. The
Mavs closed a six-game homestand 3-3 after coming into the stretch
having won four straight in Reunion Arena.
Game notes
Dallas fell to 9-3 against Eastern Conference teams. Four
of its next five games are against the East. ... The Pistons
activated Jud Buechler and placed Jerome Williams on the injured
list. Buechler, who had a problem with his right foot, hurt his
left one in the third quarter. ... Don Nelson's absence allowed the
Mavs to put another of their many assistant coaches on the front
row of the bench. The winner: Charlie Parker. ... This was the
first of nine road games for Detroit in a rough January. All six of
the Pistons' home games this month are against teams above .500.
... Thursday is the one-year anniversary of Mark Cuban agreeing to
buy the Mavericks. They're 51-32 since.
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ALSO SEE
NBA Scoreboard
Detroit Clubhouse
Dallas Clubhouse
Nelson's son takes over as Mavs coach
RECAPS
New York 100
Boston 91
Philadelphia 98
Atlanta 80
Detroit 107
Dallas 104
Milwaukee 88
Cleveland 83
Phoenix 90
LA Clippers 85
Portland 102
Indiana 86
Vancouver 99
Charlotte 89
Denver 111
Golden State 100
LA Lakers 82
Utah 71
FROM
ATHLETESDIRECT
Jerry Stackhouse Official Site
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