Dallas takes 3-1 lead over Spurs

The Mavericks posted a 123-118 win over San Antonio Monday night.
DALLAS (AP) -- Devin Harris and Jason Terry hit big shots in a fourth-quarter rally, then showed off their speed and shooting in overtime, sending the Dallas Mavericks past the San Antonio Spurs 123-118 Monday night to take a commanding 3-1 lead in their second-round series.
Dallas has won three in a row since Harris joined the starting lineup. Now the Mavs are one win from making the conference finals for the second time in four years and the third time in franchise history.
The Spurs shook up their lineup for a second straight game, but it wasn't enough. Despite an early surge, the Mavs caught up by halftime and persevered down the stretch of another terrific game in a series that's living up to expectations that have been building since December.
Spurs in trouble
The reigning champions go into Game 5 tonight in a heap of trouble.
Since Tim Duncan joined the club in 1997, the Spurs are 0-5 when trailing this deep into a playoff series. They also haven't won an elimination game to keep a series going; the only time they won when facing elimination was Game 7 of last year's finals.
Terry scored 32 points and it's hard to say which was his biggest -- the 19-footer that put Dallas ahead with 23 seconds left in regulation; his driving layup at the start of overtime that put the Mavs ahead for good; or his two high-arching jumpers that protected the lead in the final two minutes.
The last one might've been the sweetest because it was over Duncan.
Pushed in overtime
"We get into overtime, and we said we're going to continue to push it and push it," Terry said. "We put ourselves in a good position to win the ball game."
Harris dazzled, too, as he scored 18 points with six rebounds -- three in overtime -- and six assists. His highlight-reel baskets included a finger roll on a fast break early in overtime and a circus layup around Duncan that made it 121-116.
Dirk Nowitzki scored 28 points. He was 14-of-15 from the foul line, getting there several times on hard whacks to his face. He forced overtime with a pair of free throws with 8.5 seconds left.
Strong supporting effort
Jerry Stackhouse added 26 for Dallas and Erick Dampier had eight points, nine rebounds and a strong defensive stand that forced Duncan to come up short on a potential winning shot at the end of regulation.
Duncan had 31 points, 13 rebounds, six assists and three blocks. He wasn't alone this time, with Tony Parker scoring 33, his most ever in a playoff game.
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