Josh Howard returns from ankle injury, scores 20 to lead Mavericks past Suns 102-101

Howard returns, leads Mavericks past Suns 102-101

DALLAS — Josh Howard looked sharp coming off a 13-game break to rehabilitate his surgically repaired left ankle, scoring 18 of his 20 points in the second half and leading the Dallas Mavericks to a 102-101 victory over the reeling Phoenix Suns on Tuesday night.

Howard missed the first five games of the season recovering from the surgery, then lasted just 2½ games. The Mavs put him through some grueling workouts to make sure he’s all the way back, and he sure looked it by scoring 16 points during a stretch late in the third quarter and early in the fourth when Dallas went from being tied at 66 to leading 88-79.

Phoenix made three 3-pointers in the final 47.9 seconds to make things interesting all the way to the buzzer, but the Suns wound up losing for the fourth time in five games. All those losses are on the road, and they’ve all come during the first eight days of December. Phoenix lost only three times over the last week of October and all of November.

Dirk Nowitzki had 33 points and eight rebounds, and Shawn Marion had 10 points and seven rebounds in his first game against his longtime team since rejoining the Western Conference. The Mavericks also ended their first two-game losing streak of the season.

Steve Nash scored eight of his 27 points in the final minute and had eight assists. Jason Richardson scored 25, including a long 3 during the final push. Amare Stoudemire had 20 points and Jared Dudley 11.

Jason Terry had 15 points and kept the drama to the buzzer by missing a free throw with 3.7 seconds left. He intentionally missed the next one. Stoudemire got the rebound, took a few dribbles then heaved it about 75 feet. It was pretty much on line but short.

J.J. Barea, who had what likely will become Howard’s spot in the starting lineup, scored 14. Jason Kidd had 11 assists and seven points.

Howard entered to a nice ovation with 5:07 left in the first quarter. He missed a jumper on a fast break, but before fans could wonder whether he pulled up because he was tentative about the ankle, he proved otherwise by hustling back on defense and blocking a shot by Grant Hill. He soon after went to the rim on a fast break and was knocked down but got right up.

Howard was 0 for 2 with two points in the first half. Dallas didn’t have much going right outside Nowitzki the first two-plus quarters, yet managed to remain close.

When Howard came in midway through the third quarter, he put up a brick from the outside, then passed up a shot on a fast break and dished to Kris Humphries; he wasn’t expecting the pass and the ball rolled out of bounds.

But then Howard finished a fast break on his own and everything seemed to click for him. He made a steal and turned it into a jump, and soon after hit a 3-pointer. Early in the fourth, he made a 3, a jumper, a shot from the baseline and another jumper just before the shot clock expired.

NOTES: Dallas coach Rick Carlisle said Howard will not have a limit on his minutes. … Phoenix’s Lou Amundson returned after missing two games with the flu. Leandro Barbosa missed his fourth game because of a sprained left ankle. … Mavs owner Mark Cuban was sporting a colorful, baseball-sized bruise on the inside of his left forearm, courtesy of his participation in a WWE event at the arena Monday night. Would he let any of his players in the ring? “I complain about the Olympics, so I’m not going to let them do WWE,” he said. … A couple celebrating their 75th wedding anniversary — each wearing No. 75 Mavs jerseys — were featured on the “kiss cam” during a timeout. They smooched twice to loud cheers.