Dallas 105, Phoenix 98 (series tied, 1-1)
For Dallas fans, this “must-win” game was probably too close for comfort. But they had to take solace in the fact that it was Dirk Nowitzki – not Steve Nash – that was tearing it up offensively in the fourh quarter. Nowitzki – who has a tendency to be a little passive in crunch time – scored 12 of his game-high 30 points in the final quarter, hitting jumpers and attacking the rim when it mattered most. The Big German also led his team with 14 rebounds. Josh Howard – who hurt his ankle in Game 1 – wasn’t supposed to play, but ended up having a great night, posting 29 points and seven rebounds. Avery Johnson once again started Keith Van Horn, who continues to disappoint, but later inserted Dasagana Diop at center. Diop helped to cover Boris Diaw – who still had a big game (25 points, 10 rebounds, six assists) – but wasn’t able to score near the hoop as easily given Diop’s presence. Shawn Marion had another monster game for the Suns, 19 points, 19 boards and three steals. But Leandro Barbosa – who was filling in for Raja Bell – had an awful night, scoring only eight points on 3-15 shooting. In the end, Phoenix did what it wanted to do in the first two games – steal one – while Dallas did what it needed to do in Game 2. Game 3 is set for Sunday in Phoenix.