Utah Jazz: Nowitzki's quiet 4th quarter finishes off Mavericks

SALT LAKE CITY — Dallas Mavericks superstar forward Dirk Nowitzki went off for 14 points in the third quarter against the Utah Jazz at EnergySolutions Arena, seemingly determined to ensure his team would avoid its first three-game losing streak of the season.

But then in the fourth, Nowitzki was a forgotten man. He didn't even attempt a single shot from the field, as the Jazz took control of a previously close game to win going away, 104-92.

"In the fourth quarter they really stepped up their pressure," said Nowitzki of the Jazz. "You've got to give them credit. They went with a smaller lineup with (Andrei) Kirilenko at the four and they created a lot of turnovers. We threw the ball all over the gym."

It's not like Nowitzki hasn't been a major force against the Jazz late in a game before. In fact, he scored 25 points in the fourth quarter alone in leading a Mavericks' rally over Utah back in November. This time around, however, he could never seem to get the ball in a position to score down the stretch.

"I couldn't get any looks," said Nowitzki of his lack of fourth-quarter offense. "I barely had the ball in my hands. We turned the ball over before that. It was tough."

Nowitzki wasn't blaming his teammates, however. He knows that the buck stops with him when it comes to the Mavericks.

"Sixteen (points as a team in the fourth quarter) is just not going to cut it," said Nowitzki. "I take it all on me always. I've got to be aggressive. If I don't get the ball, I need to run to it and make something happen."

With the Mavs' three-game losing streak along with Utah's six-game winning streak, suddenly the Jazz are just one-half game behind Dallas for the third best record in the Western Conference.

"It's about putting 48 good minutes together and finishing," said Dallas coach Rick Carlisle. "We didn't do it."

The three Maverick losses all came to playoff-caliber competition — to Phoenix, Portland and Utah — and two of the three were on the road. Carlisle is not about to push the panic button just yet.

"I'm not (worried about the losing streak)," said Carlisle. "Look, we've struggled. We've been in some close games. This was a close game until the fourth. We have to go home and play better and win at home. It's as simple as that. ... We've been here before and had to fight through a few (losing streaks) last year. We'll battle back."

Veteran Dallas point guard Jason Kidd is just as certain that his team will get back on track.

"It happens," said Kidd of the losing streak.

"There are 82 games. You are going to win five or six in a row and you might lose three. Our goal is to try to minimize those three-game losing streaks or two-game losing streaks. This is our first one, so we have to bounce back on Wednesday."

e-mail: lojo@desnews.com