Nowitzki hits 18-foot fallaway at buzzer to give Mavericks OT victory over Bucks

Mavs’ Nowitzki hits fallaway for OT winner

MILWAUKEE — Dirk Nowitzki hit a fallaway 18-footer as time expired in overtime to give the Dallas Mavericks a 115-113 victory over the Milwaukee Bucks on Monday night.

With 3.1 seconds left, Nowitzki caught a pass from Jason Kidd, who finished a point short of a triple-double, and threw it up over Luc Richard Mbah a Moute. The ball rattled off the rim and backboard, dropping softly through the hoop as the backboard lights came on. The play was briefly reviewed, but counted.

Nowitzki, who finished with 32 points and 11 rebounds, immediately untucked his jersey and celebrated with his teammates near the Mavericks’ bench.

Bucks rookie Brandon Jennings had 25 points, seven rebounds and eight assists in his first game since scoring 55 against the Warriors on Saturday night.

But it wasn’t enough to extend Milwaukee’s winning streak to five.

Kidd had nine points, 10 rebounds and 17 assists for the short-handed Mavericks, who lost forward Shawn Marion when he sprained his left ankle in the second quarter. Drew Gooden had 22 points and 14 rebounds again playing in place of center Erick Dampier.

Trailing by 18 midway through the third quarter, the Bucks cut it to 85-82 heading into the fourth on Jennings’ 3 just before time expired.

Jennings gave the Bucks a 104-102 lead with a 6-foot layup, but Jason Terry tied it with a jumper. Luke Ridnour and Jennings both missed shots for Milwaukee that would’ve won it in the closing seconds of regulation.

Ersan Ilyasova finished with 19 points, Ridnour added 17 and Andrew Bogut and Mbah a Moute each had 13 for the Bucks.

Dampier was hospitalized after warmups ahead of Sunday night’s 95-90 victory in Detroit, but the Mavericks have said little about it beyond he wasn’t feeling well. Coach Rick Carlisle didn’t elaborate before the game, but said Dampier was flying to Milwaukee and rejoining the team in time to fly home on the Mavericks’ charter flight.

NOTES: Jennings’ 55-point effort on Saturday night made him the youngest player to score 50 or more in NBA history at 20 years, 52 days. LeBron James is second at 20 years, 80 days. … Mavericks owner Mark Cuban spoke at an event for Milwaukee business leaders. He said he appreciated the Bucks for trading his franchise the rights to Nowitzki, selected ninth in 1998, and Pat Garrity for Robert “Tractor” Traylor, who was picked sixth. Traylor played two forgettable years in Milwaukee.