Wizards No Match for Surging Mavs

Dallas Mavericks' Dirk Nowitzki, left, of Germany, looks to make a pass against Washington Wizards defender Antawn Jamison right, in the first half of a basketball game in Dallas, Tuesday, Nov. 21, 2006. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez) (Tony Gutierrez - AP)

DALLAS -- Gilbert Arenas looked like he was on his way to another 40-point game after getting the Washington Wizards off to a fast start. But Dirk Nowitzki had another stellar performance for Dallas, and got much more help from his teammates than Arenas in what became a runaway romp for the surging Mavericks.

"We tried to run them out of the gym in the first half, but it backfired," Arenas said.

Nowitzki scored seven of his 30 points in a game-turning spurt that ended the third quarter and had 14 rebounds for the Mavericks, who stretched their NBA-best winning streak to seven with a 107-80 victory Tuesday night.

Dallas hasn't lost since following its trip to the NBA finals by starting 0-4 for the first time.

"I think we were just trying to find ourselves a little bit," said reserve Austin Croshere, who had 14 points and was one of six Mavericks newcomers who played. "Early, we were waiting for things to happen, and now we're making things happen."

Arenas, who had 45 points in Washington's last game, already had 26 against the Mavs when he made a tiebreaking 3-pointer with 9:29 left in the third quarter.

Then the Wizards went cold, missing 10 straight shots. By the time DeShawn Stevenson drove for a basket in the opening minute of the fourth quarter, the Wizards were down by 12 points.

And Arenas scored only three more points _ all free throws _ and struggled shooting. On consecutive shots during the Dallas streak, he had an offensive foul and hit the side of the backboard with a 12-footer.

After Arenas made his last field goal, Nowitzki responded with one of his own 3-pointer to tie the game at 58. That started a 21-6 run over the remainder of the third quarter that put the Mavericks firmly in control.

Washington hasn't won any of its first five road games, the latest it has gone this deep in the season without a road victory since 1999-00. The Wizards play in Houston on Wednesday night.

With Dallas playing its fourth game in five days, coach Eddie Jordan thought the Wizards "could have the energy and outlast them for 48 minutes."

They barely made it past halftime.