Ellis brings Dallas back to postseason

Source:Agencies-Global Times Published: 2014-4-13 23:18:01

Monta Ellis (No.11) of the Dallas Mavericks shoots against the Phoenix Suns on Saturday (US time). Photo: AFP



Monta Ellis ­tallied 37 points and Dirk ­Nowitzki scored 21 of his 23 in the ­second half as the Dallas ­Mavericks beat the Phoenix Suns 101-98 to clinch a playoff berth in the West on Saturday (US time).

By winning their final home game of the season, the Mavericks left Phoenix and the Memphis Grizzlies to fight it out for the eighth and final playoff spot in the Western Conference.

Brandan Wright finished with 12 points, 11 rebounds and three blocks for the Mavericks, who are back in the postseason after they had a 12-year streak snapped last season.

Eric Bledsoe finished with 29 points, six assists and four steals, while Channing Frye poured in 21 points for Phoenix.

The Suns will host the Grizzlies on Monday night in a must-win game to keep their playoff hopes alive.

Dallas trailed by as many as 13 ­early in the second half. But Nowitzki's layup with 6:42 to go in the fourth staked it to their first lead (88-87) since halfway through the second quarter.

The Mavericks built their advantage to 99-91 with 2:25 remaining, but Bledsoe drove in for a layup, Markieff Morris sunk a pair of foul shots and Bledsoe's three-point play whittled the deficit to 99-98 with 52 seconds remaining in the fourth.

Ellis split a pair of free throws with 20.9 seconds left to make it 100-98 and Wright blocked Bledsoe's driving layup on Phoenix's next possession.

Ellis again connected from the free-throw line and Morris failed on a potentially tying triple in the final seconds.

Also on Saturday, the Atlanta Hawks clinched the eighth playoff spot in the Eastern Conference as Jeff Teague scored 25 points in a 98-85 win over the defending champions Miami Heat.

Lou Williams scored 23 points for Atlanta who claimed the final playoff berth in their conference.

Atlanta had a 25-21 record on ­February 4 but went into a 6-20 tailspin before winning six of their last eight games.

The Hawks qualified for the postseason for a seventh straight season. They scored 29 points off 20 Miami turnovers.

Dwyane Wade scored 16 first-half points on a perfect seven-for-seven shooting. He finished with 24 points on 10-of-14 shooting for the Heat, who are tied with the Indiana Pacers for the top seed in the East.

Wade missed his last nine games because of a hamstring injury.

LeBron James posted 27 points, eight rebounds and five assists in the defeat.

The game was tied 49-49 at halftime and 51-51 before DeMarre ­Carroll capped a 7-1 surge with a three-pointer from the left side for a 58-52 Hawks lead with 7:26 left in the third quarter.

Miami never got within four in the rest of the game.

Agencies - Global Times

Posted in: Basketball

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