Youthful Mavericks crush Jazz to force 5th game
( 2001-05-02 15:28 ) (7 )

Dirk Nowitzki scored 33 points and Steve Nash added 27 points and seven assists to lead the upstart Mavericks to a 107-77 blowout of the Utah Jazz on Tuesday as Dallas forced a fifth and deciding game in the first-round NBA playoff series.

The Mavericks made the Jazz look their age in handing Utah its worst loss of the season while posting the greatest playoff margin of victory in franchise history.

Dallas can capture its first playoff series in 13 years with a win on Thursday in Utah.

"We definitely expect to win," said Dallas guard Michael Finley, who contributed 20 points, 12 rebounds and four assists.

Dallas lost the first two games at Utah to the far more experience Jazz. But the Mavs turned the series around at home, exploiting their advantage in youth and athleticism.

Nash ran Utah's future Hall of Fame guard John Stockton ragged on Thursday. He made 8-of-15 shots, including four 3-pointers, to spark the Dallas recovery from an early deficit.

"They have experience, we have youth, and that's really what the battle is all about," said Dallas coach Don Nelson.

"They know how to handle themselves in tough situations and we don't, we're learning. We did a pretty good job tonight," he added in his understated manner.

Karl Malone led Utah with 25 points, but Stockton managed just four points on 2-of-7 shooting.

Utah led 24-17 after one quarter, but Dallas dominated the rest of the way, outscoring the Jazz by 10 points in the second quarter, 15 in the third and 12 over the final 12 minutes.

"I think tonight everything fell into place," Nash said. "Everything we were missing in the first three games went in."

This marks the third successive year that the Jazz have been pushed to a fifth game in the first round.

"We knew they were a very talented team and we would have our hands full with them," Jazz coach Jerry Sloan said.