Dallas Comes from Behind to Tie Series

Dallas Mavericks proved they have true grit in their quest for the franchise's first NBA championship.

Trailing by 15 points late in the fourth quarter to the Miami Heat— and Nowitzki playing with a torn tendon in the middle finger on his left hand — the Mavericks did the improbable for the third time in these playoffs to pull out a 95-93 victory Thursday to even this series at 1-1 and steal home-court advantage.

It was Miami's first home playoff loss in 10 games.

Game 3 in Dallas, the first of three at home for the Mavericks, is Sunday (ABC, 7 p.m.)

Nowitzki didn't play well offensively for three quarters, but he produced when it mattered most by scoring nine of his 24 points in the fourth — all coming in the last 2:44 for Nowitzki — when Dallas went on a 22-5 run to close out for the victory.

Dallas had the ball for the last possession, and Nowitzki was guarded one-on-one at the top of the foul line by Chris Bosh.

He dribbled and drove to his left, got past Bosh and finished at the rim with his left hand with his finger in a splint. Miami opted not to double-team the 7-footer.

"I actually drove a little earlier than I would have, knowing they had a foul to give and made a move and the foul never came," said Nowitzki, who made 10 of 22 field goals. "So I was able to get to the basket and lay it in. That was a big play."

For most of the game, the big plays came from the Heat. They erased Dallas' nine-point lead in the second quarter to tie the score at 51 at halftime.

The Mavericks opened the third quarter with three turnovers and the game gradually began to slip away as they trailed by 10.

But Nowitzki hit a pair of jump shots, Tyson Chandler had a tip-in and Jason Terry hit a pair of free throws and a mid-range jumper to trim the deficit to 75-71 entering the final quarter.