Dirk Nowitzki scored 39 points, Mavericks beat Kings 126-108

Nowitzki scored 39 points to lead Mavericks

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Dirk Nowitzki scored 39 points to help the Dallas Mavericks rout the struggling Sacramento Kings 126-108 on Saturday night.

The lopsided victory, combined with Denver’s loss to San Antonio, moved the Mavericks into sole possession of second place in the Western Conference playoff race.

Dallas is one game ahead of Denver with two games remaining for both teams. The Mavericks visit the Clippers on Monday night and conclude the regular season Wednesday at home against San Antonio.

The Mavericks clinched the Southwest Division with a victory Friday night in Portland and can finish no worse than the fourth seed.

Jason Kidd had his second triple-double of the season and the 105th of his career, finishing 11 points, 13 assists and 10 rebounds. Jason Terry scored 25 points, and Caron Butler had 15 for Dallas, which has won three straight.

Carl Landry scored 30 points, and Tyreke Evans had 27 points, eight rebounds and six assists for the Kings, who have lost nine of 10 games and own the third worst record in the NBA. Omri Casspi had 15 points, and Jason Thompson added 12.

Nowitzki connected on jumpers from short and long range in scoring 22 points in the third quarter. The perennial All-Star forward had the final 11 points for the Mavericks, who took a 100-79 lead into the fourth quarter.

Nowitzki had with 40 points Friday night an 83-77 win at Portland, and once again was the dominant for Dallas. He made 12 of 20 shots, had seven rebounds, and converted all 13 free throws.

Nowitzki broke his previous franchise record of 60 straight free throws in the third quarter and has hit 68 in a row. He hasn’t missed a free throw since the second quarter of a March 29 game against Denver.

Evans continued his quest to join Oscar Robertson, Michael Jordan and LeBron James as the only rookies to average 20 points, five rebounds and five assists. Evans is assured of those marks in assists and rebounds and needs 24 points in the final two games to reach the point total.

NOTES: Never at a loss for an opinion, Dallas owner Mark Cuban has one for Rookie of the Year and it’s not Evans. Cuban would vote for the Mavs’ Rodrigue Beaubois, who is averaging 7.1 points a game and started just 15 games this season. “Tyreke Evan’s 20-5-5 is phenomenal. But in defense of our rookie he’s 50 (shooting) percent from the floor, shooting 40 in 3s, and 80 percent from the free-throw line,” Cuban said before the game. “He’s been in the background of the race ” … Dallas starting forward Shawn Marion missed his third straight game because of a strained oblique muscle. … Dallas swept the four-game season and has beaten the Kings seven straight times.

(This version CORRECTS Mavericks 126, Kings 108. corrects spelling of Nowitzki.)