Mavs rally late to take over series with OT win

**Admin** Tue May 24, 2011 1:36 am

Dirk Nowitzki scored 40 points and Jason Kidd hit the go-ahead 3-pointer with 40 seconds left in overtime as the Dallas Mavericks staged an improbable rally to stun the Oklahoma City Thunder, 112-105 to take a 3-1 series lead in the Western Conference Finals.

Dallas didn’t lead until Nowitzki hit two free throws 16 seconds into overtime, needing to rally from a 99-84 deficit in the final 5 minutes of regulation. The Mavericks never let the Thunder—who were one win shy of tying an NBA record with eight OT wins in the regular season—go ahead in the extra period.

The Thunder suffered their first consecutive losses of the postseason and first back-to-back home losses in six months.

The Mavericks are in good position to close out the West & return to the NBA Finals when they play Game 5 this Wednesday night in Dallas.