Mavs Send Magic to 8th Straight Loss

 

This time they got by without him, thanks to big nights by Monta Ellis and Tyson Chandler in a 108-93 victory over the Magic, who have lost eight straight.

 

Ellis scored 25 points and handed out 13 assists while Chandler added 20 points and nine rebounds for the Mavericks, who held off a fourth-quarter Magic rally after leading by 27 points early in the second half.

 

"Monta got everybody rolling," said Chandler. "He did an excellent job the entire game of penetrating and finding the right guy. He found me a couple of times in a row, found guys on the perimeter and when they backed off, he created shots for himself."

 

Six players scored in double figures for the Mavericks, who won for the second straight night in Florida.

 

"I always take the attitude when a team is blitzing me, we've got a guy open and I've got to find the open guy, and tonight I found him," Ellis said. "We moved the ball well. We did a good job of sharing the ball, moving it and hitting open shots when we needed to."

 

Nik Vucevic, who did not play in the fourth quarter, had 17 points and 16 rebounds for the Magic. The loss didn't help Magic coach Jacque Vaughn, who is trying to put off talk that his job might be in danger.

 

Rondo ended up hurt after he tripped over the leg of Magic guard Elfrid Payton. While he was trying to get up, he ran into the knee of teammate Richard Jefferson. Other than confirming the head injury, the Mavericks had no update on his condition.

 

"It was a really bad collision," Chandler said. "I don't know what the prognosis is but he is pretty beat up."

 

Even without their starting point guard, the Mavericks had 26 assists on 42 field goals.

 

"We played our game. We moved it," said Dallas coach Rick Carlisle. "Guys were scrambling on defense."

 

Magic guard Ben Gordon was ejected after protesting a non-call during the fourth-quarter rally, during which Orlando (15-35) cut the Mavericks' lead to 94-89 with 5:50 left.

 

His 3-pointer had pulled the Magic to within nine with 8:34 left, and he lost the ball while driving the lane on the next possession. Gordon wanted a foul and was quickly ejected by referee Kane Fitzgerald.

 

Although Dirk Nowitzki missed the foul shot, a dunk by Chandler and a layup by Ellis quickly got the Mavericks' lead back up to nine, and the Magic never threatened again.

 

Evan Fournier, starting in place of the injured Victor Oladipo, and Willie Green had 15 points each for Orlando.