NBA – Mavs drop Manu-less Spurs to third straight defeat

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SAN ANTONIO (NBA) – Dirk Nowitzki and the Dallas Mavericks prevailed for the second time in four games while keeping Texas rivals San Antonio winless three games into their NBA season.

Germany superstar Nowitzki had 30 points and seven rebounds while Josh Howard scored 14 and grabbed 12 boards as the Mavs eat the shorthanded Spurs 98-81.

Gregg Popovich’s Spurs got Fabricio Oberto back in their line-up after he missed the first two games to receive treatment for an irregular heartbeat, but they are still without their other Argentinian national team player Manu Ginobili while he recovers from an ankle operation.

Ginobili, who played at the Olympics this summer but went down in the semi-final defeat to the United States with an ankle injury, isn’t expected to play until December.

Tim Duncan scored 19 points and pulled down 15 rebounds while France point guard Tony Parker scored a team-high 22 points for the Spurs.

Rebounding is an area where the Spurs need to improve if they are going to snap out of their funk.

“They just simply kicked our butts on the boards,” Popovich said. “They were more focused and energetic.”

Another Argentina star, Luis Scola, poured in 21 points and corralled nine rebounds but it wasn’t enough for the Houston Rockets as they slipped to a 103-99 defeat to the Boston Celtics.

Ray Allen finished with 29 points for the defending champions Celtics.

Raja Bell drilled all six of his shots from behind the arc and scored a game-high 22 points as the Phoenix Suns rolled to a 114-86 triumph over the New Jersey Nets.

The Phoenix Suns are thriving so far in the post-Mike D’Antoni era. Under new coach Terry Porter, they have claimed three victories in four games.

The Nets got 15 points and eight rebounds from Chinese center Yi Jianlian.

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