Nowitzki, Dallas Light Up Portland

Dirk Nowitzki did it all again, moving the Dallas Mavericks within one victory of reaching the second round.

Nowitzki had 42 points, including three three-point baskets in the final quarter, as the Mavericks beat the Portland Trail Blazers, 115-103, Friday night at Portland to take a 3-0 lead in their first-round playoff series.

Nowitzki, who had a career-high 46 points in the opener, also had 10 rebounds for the Mavericks, who can advance with a victory in Game 4 in Portland on Sunday.

Portland has lost 10 straight playoff games -- dating to their collapse against the Lakers in Game 7 of the Western Conference finals in 2000. A loss Sunday would tie the NBA record of 11 consecutive postseason defeats shared by the Baltimore Bullets and Denver Nuggets.

With Scottie Pippen in street clothes and Derek Anderson out of the playoffs indefinitely because of a knee injury, the Trail Blazers trailed by as many as 14. But they took an 85-84 lead after three quarters before Dallas pulled away behind three-point baskets by Steve Nash and Nowitzki.

Orlando 89, Detroit 80 -- Two days after being collectively outscored by teammate Tracy McGrady, Orlando’s supporting cast provided the superstar guard with the help he needed as the Magic won at home to take a 2-1 lead in the series.

McGrady finished with 29 points, but Darrell Armstrong had 20 points, eight assists and six rebounds, and Drew Gooden had 15 points and seven rebounds to key Orlando’s balanced attack.

Richard Hamilton scored 22 points for the Pistons, who shot 39% from the field.

San Antonio 99, Phoenix 86 -- Tony Parker, three for 20 from the field in the first two games of the series, made 12 of 21 shots -- most of them from long range -- for a career playoff-high 29 points to help the Spurs win at Phoenix to take a 2-1 lead in the series.

Stephen Jackson scored 20 points as the Spurs capitalized on the Suns’ strategy of collapsing on Tim Duncan. Duncan had 11 points on three-of-six shooting but grabbed 23 rebounds, two shy of his career playoff best.