Mavs complete sweep of T-Wolves

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Posted 9:12AM on Monday, April 29, 2002

MINNEAPOLIS - The Dallas Mavericks can score, and it doesn't matter where they play or who's taking the shots. Dirk Nowitzki scored 28 of his 39 points before halftime and lent his hot hand to Michael Finley in the second half Sunday, helping the Mavericks hold off the Minnesota Timberwolves and finish a three-game sweep with a 115-102 victory. Finley had 13 of his 30 points in the third quarter and Steve Nash had 25 points and 11 assists for Dallas, which shot 13-for-24 from 3-point range and advanced to the second round for the second consecutive year and will meet the winner of the Utah-Sacramento series. "We're always confident down the stretch," Nash said. "We've got so many shooters, we're bound to make a couple." The Mavericks, after winning the first two in Dallas, continued their impressive play away from home by withstanding a 22-7 run by Minnesota to start the fourth quarter behind a deafening Target Center crowd of 18,795. Dallas has a league-leading 27-14 record on the road this year. "It's just the best thing in the world for us to go through this kind of atmosphere," Mavericks coach Don Nelson said. "It makes you mature as a player. The more of these we can get, the better." Kevin Garnett had 22 points and 17 rebounds, and Wally Szczerbiak and Anthony Peeler each scored 20 points for the Timberwolves, who made their sixth straight first-round exit from the playoffs. Minnesota owned the league's second-best record at the halfway point this year but wasted a chance at homecourt advantage in the first round by losing 22 of its last 42. But an extra home game probably wouldn't have mattered against Dallas. "They're a good team," Wolves coach Flip Saunders said. "Everybody was saying you've got to slow the game down, but what are you going to do - tell Nash, Nowitzki and Finley they're not allowed to shoot?" Up by 18 starting the fourth, Dallas suddenly went cold as Minnesota pulled within three, 104-101, on a free throw by Garnett with under three minutes to go. But Eduardo Najera's rebound and putback after a timeout put the Mavericks back up by five, and Szczerbiak's 3-pointer rimmed out with two minutes to go. Nash sank a 3 on the other end to make it 109-101, and Peeler's pass went right to Finley in the lane on the next possession. "We wanted this one so badly," Nowitzki said. "We're trying to go all the way. We're talented enough." Nowitzki, who scored 99 points in the series, had 17 rebounds and shot 11-for-17 from the field and 14-for-16 from the line. Chauncey Billups, who scored 16 points, made an open 3-pointer with 3:48 left in the third to bring Minnesota to 85-77, but then Finley - despite tight defense by Szczerbiak - picked it up. Finley scored eight points during a 12-0 run by Dallas, giving the Mavericks their biggest lead at 97-77 just before the end of the quarter. Minnesota didn't get beat on the fastbreak like it did in Game 2, instead hurting itself with ill-timed turnovers and misses on open looks, short shots in the lane and free throws. The Timberwolves made only eight of 15 foul shots in the first period and finished at 68 percent from the line. Dallas was 32-for-35. Fans were pumped up before the game, but Nowitzki didn't let Wolves fans get a word in after the tip, scoring the first four points and putting Dallas up 19-7 with a 3-pointer from the wing. Nowitzki kept up his astonishing half, giving the Mavericks their biggest lead at 49-30 after a pair of free throws with just under 10 minutes to go in the second. Nowitzki was 8-for-11 from the field and 10-for-12 from the line, and his first miss came on a free throw with four minutes left in the half. Strangely, the Timberwolves climbed back when Garnett was benched after picking up his third foul with 6:09 left in the half. Minnesota went on a 15-5 run to cut the lead to six before Dallas bumped it back to 67-57 at halftime. Garnett, who's endured criticism lately for disappearing in the fourth quarter, finished 9-for-19 from the floor and with six turnovers. "This is a major blow," Garnett said. "We got swept by a team we thought we could beat." Saunders defended his superstar. "There's no one that plays and gives anything more than he does," Saunders said. "Are there things he has to work on? Yeah. But everyone does." The Mavericks? They can work on preparing for the next round. Notes: Minnesota was swept for the second time - Houston was the first to do it in 1997. ... Mavericks G/F Adrian Griffin missed his second straight game with back spasms and likely won't be available unless Dallas advances deep into the playoffs. ... Nick Van Exel was 1-for-13 from the field for Dallas. ... Nowitzki scored the most points the Timberwolves have ever allowed an opposing player in the postseason. Tim Duncan scored 33 for San Antonio in a game last year.