The 105-102 loss to the San Antonio Spurs on Thursday that had the Mavericks clawing through the final seconds for a prayer to be answered at American Airlines Center wasn't perfect.
And the result certainly wasn't what the Mavericks wanted, to drop into a tie for the Midwest Division lead with the Spurs, the first time the Mavericks have not held sole possession of first place since Jan. 26. It was the Spurs' 11th consecutive victory.

"That's why you play sports ? you want to be in a game like this," Dirk Nowitzki said. Countered coach Don Nelson: "I like to win by 20 points. It's more fun."