The Post-Webber Era Begins With a Loss

The Sacramento Kings opened their first game without Chris Webber on a 10-0 run. When they got down by 12 in the second quarter, they hung tough and were up by nine in the fourth quarter.

Yet it wasn’t enough.

Dirk Nowitzki scored 17 of his 34 points in the fourth quarter and Michael Finley made two clutch three-point shots in the closing minutes, helping the Mavericks pull out a 122-113 victory Thursday night at Dallas.

The Mavericks used a 13-2 run to go ahead for good with 4:39 left and had a season-best 40 points in the fourth quarter while the Kings went nearly 4 1/2 minutes without a field goal down the stretch in the first game of a six-game, nine-day trip. Sacramento lost for the third time in four games.

“It was obviously different without him,” said King center Brad Miller of Webber. “He was playing real well for us and not having him out there took some time to get used to.”

Marquis Daniels had season-highs with 29 points and eight assists, plus nine rebounds in his first start since Dec. 6 for Dallas. Finley added 22 points.

Mike Bibby and Cuttino Mobley each scored 26 for the Kings, and Darius Songaila got off to a good start in Webber’s place, posting a career-high 23 points and a season-high 12 rebounds.

New York 113, Philadelphia 101 -- Kurt Thomas scored 21 points on 10-of-11 shooting in the Knicks’ victory at New York.

Philadelphia, which had only eight players in uniform because of its trade for Webber, was led by Allen Iverson’s 29 points. Webber will make his 76er debut Saturday against his old team, the Kings.