Mavericks finally solve the Warriors to get even

The Dallas Mavericks finally discovered that beating the Golden State Warriors isn’t as hard as they had made it look.

And it’s even easier when Baron Davis and Stephen Jackson lose their cool.

Jason Terry scored 28 points, Dirk Nowitzki had 23 and Josh Howard led a 15-2 run in the third quarter that sent the Mavericks to a 112-99 victory over the Warriors in Game 2 on Wednesday night at Dallas, evening their best-of-seven first-round series.

“We needed to turn it up,” said Howard, who had 22 points, 11 rebounds and five steals. “They were aggressive at the start of the last game and we didn’t respond.”

Dallas had lost six straight to Golden State dating to last season.

“It was a physical game and emotional,” Nowitzki said.

Dallas already had surged ahead when Terry dribbled into Jackson, drawing a foul, then kept going into Davis. Words and shoving ensued and all three received technical fouls.

A smiling and clapping Davis got another technical foul and an automatic ejection for arguing about a foul with 0.2 seconds left in the third quarter. Jackson was ejected with his second technical foul with 4:34 to play.

Jackson, who led the Warriors with 30 points, wouldn’t stop screaming at officials as he left, with teammate Matt Barnes trying to cover Jackson’s mouth with his arms, then with a towel.

San Antonio 97, Denver 88 -- After squandering most of a 17-point fourth-quarter lead, the Spurs held on to even their first-round series with the Nuggets at one game apiece at San Antonio.

The Nuggets got within 91-88 on a three-point basket by Allen Iverson with 45 seconds left, but Tim Duncan’s layup and free throws by Michael Finley and Tony Parker put the game away.

Duncan led San Antonio with 22 points and five blocked shots.

Carmelo Anthony led the Nuggets with 26 points. Iverson added 20 points.

Cleveland 109, Washington 102 -- With LeBron James playing cautiously on a sprained left ankle, Drew Gooden scored 19 of his 24 points before halftime to help send the Cavaliers to a 2-0 lead in their series at Cleveland.

James, injured in Game 1, had 27 points, eight rebounds and seven assists, including 13 points in the final quarter.

Antawn Jamison had 31 points but Antonio Daniels (11) was the only other Washington starter in double figures.