Mavericks make Butler a winner in home debut

Mavericks make Butler a winner in home debut

DALLAS — Dirk Nowitzki scored 28 points, and Dallas newcomer Caron Butler started a key third-quarter run in the Mavericks’ 107-97 victory over the Phoenix Suns on Wednesday night.

Amare Stoudemire, who has been mentioned in trade rumors in recent days, had 30 points and 14 rebounds for the Suns, who had their five-game road winning streak snapped.

Butler, acquired from Washington along with Brendan Haywood and DeShawn Stevenson in a seven-player deal Saturday, scored 15 points and hit a jumper to open a 16-4 run in the third. Jason Kidd had 18 points, 10 assists, seven rebounds and a career-high seven steals for Dallas.

Before the game, Stoudemire rated his chances of being traded before Thursday’s deadline as 50-50.

Cleveland was considered the most likely destination if Stoudemire was dealt. But the Cavaliers moved on to their next choice, acquiring Antawn Jamison from Washington in a three-team trade Wednesday.

The Suns, who lead the NBA in scoring at more than 110 points per game, were held under 100 for only the seventh time this season. Phoenix missed 13 of its first 14 3-pointers and finished 5 of 22 from beyond the arc.

Butler and Haywood were playing their first home game and second overall with the Mavericks. Haywood had 10 points, nine rebounds and five blocks starting in place of the injured Erick Dampier, who did not play after undergoing surgery Wednesday to close an open dislocation of his right middle finger.

Dallas led 56-49 when it broke the game open starting the second half.

Butler, 4 of 16 in Dallas’ 99-86 loss to Oklahoma City on Tuesday, hit a 21-footer on the first possession of the third quarter.

Kidd hit consecutive 3-pointers to stretch Dallas’ lead to 68-53. Butler hit a pair of free throws and Kidd fed Shawn Marion for a layup to make it 72-53 with 7:38 remaining in the third.

Jason Richardson scored 10 points during a 17-6 run that got Phoenix to 92-87 with 6:49 left.

Nowitzki scored 10 points in the fourth quarter, and Terry hit a jumper and 3-pointer to push it back to 103-91 with 2:29 remaining.

Terry scored 17 points and Marion had 14 points and 10 rebounds for Dallas, which had lost six of eight coming in.

Richardson had 19 points, Robin Lopez added 14 points and Steve Nash chipped in with 12 assists. Stoudemire was 12 of 23 from the floor and grabbed 12 of his 14 rebounds in the first half.

The trade of Stoudemire seemed more likely earlier in the day when agent Happy Walters told The Associated Press that it would make no sense for the Suns not to trade Stoudemire only to see him walk away as a free agent at the end of the season.

Walters said Stoudemire believed Phoenix’s game Wednesday night at Dallas would be his last for the Suns.

NOTES: Nowitzki and Phoenix forward Grant Hill were called for technicals with 1:35 left. … Stoudemire has scored at least 20 points in eight straight games. … The Mavericks have beaten the Suns five straight times at home.