Mavericks Crush Heat to Win 13th in a Row

Once the first three-point shot of the second half went in for Jason Terry, he was ready to shoot again -- and again.

The Mavericks did more than extend their NBA-best winning streak to 13 games. They won decisively against another division leader, beating the Miami Heat, 112-76, Thursday night at Dallas.

Terry made his first four shots after halftime -- three three-pointers and another shot with his foot on the line -- to increase Dallas’ 13-point halftime lead to 68-45 and put the game out of reach.

Dirk Nowitzki led Dallas with 27 points and Terry scored 16. Neither played the fourth quarter.

Dallas’ winning streak, one shy of a team record, coincides with its franchise-record stretch of holding 13 consecutive opponents under 100 points.

“It is just a little old fashion Texas beat down,” said Shaquille O’Neal, who led the Heat with 23 points and eight rebounds.

Sacramento 98, Chicago 80 -- Kevin Martin scored 20 of his 23 points in the first half to help the Kings to their seventh consecutive victory at home. The Bulls fell to 1-5 on a seven-game trip.

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Utah forward Carlos Boozer, who hasn’t played since last Feb. 14 because of a strained right foot and strained hamstring, said he would play tonight at Minnesota.... Cleveland guard Larry Hughes, expected to miss six to eight weeks after undergoing surgery Jan. 6 on his broken right middle finger, will be sidelined longer, the team said. No new timetable was given.... New Orleans rookie point guard Chris Paul is expected to miss tonight’s game against New York because of bruised ribs, a bruised tailbone and a torn ligament in his right thumb.... Houston acquired guard Keith Bogans from Charlotte for forward Lonny Baxter.