Jose Barea hit the go-ahead 3-pointer in the final minute, Dirk Nowitzki scored 29 points, and the Dallas Mavericks rallied from a 15-point deficit to beat the Los Angeles Clippers 100-98 Tuesday night.
Barea capped Dallas' closing 18-4 run with a long-range jumper with 50.2 seconds left that gave Dallas its only lead of the game.
After the teams exchanged empty possessions, the Clippers had a chance to win.
Baron Davis missed a 3-pointer with just more than a second left, and Nowitzki grabbed the rebound as time expired. After the final buzzer sounded, teammates mobbed Barea under the basket.
Jason Terry scord 26 points for the Mavericks, who moved over .500 for the first time this season. Barea chipped in with a season-high 15 points, and Brandon Bass added 14.
Zach Randolph had 27 points and 10 rebounds, Al Thornton had 23 points and Davis added 22 points for the Clippers, who didn't score in final 2:55.
Steve Novak hit a jumper early in the fourth to give Los Angeles an 83-68 lead as the Clippers seemed poised to win its second game over the Mavericks this season.
The Clippers still led by 12 with seven minutes left when the Mavericks, behind a three-guard lineup of Jason Kidd, Terry and Barea, started their comeback.
Nowitzki's putback cut the Clippers' lead to 96-91. After Thornton's jumper put Los Angeles up 98-91, the Mavericks scored final nine points of the game.
Terry hit jumper and a layup that brought Dallas to 98-97 with 1:15 left.
After Eric Gordon missed a jumper, Kidd found Barea for a 3-pointer from the left wing.
The Mavericks have won seven of eight since starting the season 2-7. The Clippers have lost five in a row and 18 of 21 in Dallas.
Los Angeles, who came into the game next to last in the NBA in shooting percentage, hit 10 of 12 shots to close the first half and take a 55-47 lead.
Randolph spurred an 11-5 closing surge with a three-point play. Davis hit a jumper to put Los Angeles ahead 55-44 before Brandon Bass brought Dallas within eight with a three-point play.
Randolph, Davis and Thornton scored 46 of the Clippers' 55 points in the first half.
The Clippers built on their halftime edge, stretching their lead to 15 late in the third. Davis hit a long jumper with 1.5 seconds left that gave the Clippers an 81-68 cushion after three quarters.
Notes:@ Clippers C Chris Kaman (strained left arch) missed his second straight game. ... Mavericks F Josh Howard was out of the lineup for a sixth consecutive contest with a sprained left ankle. ... Dallas F Devean George made his first start of the season. ... G Mardy Collins, who had one basket, scored his first points with the Clippers since coming over with Randolph from New York on Nov. 21.
