National Basketball Association

Nowitzki 23 for Dallas in 95-85 win over Grizzlies

Published Apr. 5, 2012 12:06 a.m. ET

foxsports

Dirk Nowitzki scored 23 points and the Dallas Mavericks used a big fourth-quarter run to get a 95-85 victory over the Memphis Grizzlies on Wednesday night.

Shawn Marion scored 10 of his 16 points when the Mavericks went ahead with a 21-4 run over a 7-minute span in the fourth quarter to take control.

It was the first of two games in four days between the teams that are in a virtual tie for fifth place in the Western Conference standings. They play again Saturday in Memphis, a night after both play different teams.

Dallas (31-24) dropped to sixth behind Memphis after a 95-74 loss Monday night at home against the fourth-place Los Angeles Clippers.

The Grizzlies (30-23) had won five of six games, including road games against division leaders Oklahoma City and the Los Angeles Lakers.

O.J. Mayo had 17 points to lead Memphis.