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The Sports Network
Dallas, TX (Sports Network) - Pau Gasol had 24 points and nine rebounds on
Wednesday night, as the Lakers escaped with a 96-91 win over the Mavericks.
With the narrow victory, the Lakers improved to 2-0 this season against
Dallas, the team which swept them out of last year's Western Conference
semifinals.
The Mavericks trailed 93-86 with a minute to play and pulled within two,
93-91, behind six straight missed free throws from the Lakers, a three-
pointer from Jason Terry and a Dirk Nowitzki jumper.
The sixth missed free throw came from Gasol with 19 seconds left, but Matt
Barnes grabbed the offensive rebound and hit a pair from the line to make it
95-91.
Derek Fisher then made 1-of-2 foul shots between a pair of Terry missed
three-pointers to seal the Lakers' fifth win in six games. They face Western
Conference-leading Oklahoma City on Thursday.
Nowitzki scored 25 points to pace the Mavericks, who had won seven of eight
coming in. Vince Carter added 20 points and Terry had 16.
The Sports Network