Mavericks win third straight over Rockets

Dirk Nowitzki scored 23 points, and Dallas withstood a late charge by the visiting Houston Rockets to win 103-100 at home and take a 3-2 lead in a series the Mavericks began with two losses.

Dallas has two chances to join the 1969 Lakers and 1994 Rockets as the only teams to win a seven-game series after dropping the first two at home. Game 6 in their Western Conference matchup is Thursday night in Houston.

After overcoming fourth-quarter deficits of eight and six points to win the last two games, the Mavs led by 11 just seconds into the final period this time. But Tracy McGrady and Yao Ming rallied the Rockets -- combining for Houston's last 13 points -- within two with 7.4 seconds left.

Jason Terry made one of two foul shots to restore the three-point cushion, and Dallas immediately fouled McGrady on the ensuing inbounds pass. He missed both free throws, got his own rebound but missed a 3-pointer from the left corner.

Yao finished with 30 points and McGrady 25.

Josh Howard and Jerry Stackhouse added 17 points apiece for the Mavericks.

Wizards 106, Bulls 99

Juan Dixon recovered from a horrible performance to score a career-high 35 points and led Washington to a home victory that evened its playoff series with the Chicago Bulls at two games apiece.

Dixon made just one of 10 shots in Game 3, but was 11-for-15 -- including 3-for-4 on 3-pointers -- and made all 10 of his free throws for the Wizards in Game 4 of the opening-round Eastern Conference series.

Game 5 in the best-of-seven matchup is Wednesday night in Chicago. That would seem to favor the Bulls with the home team 4-0 in the series.

Jannero Pargo scored 16 of his 18 points in the final quarter, when the Bulls cut an early deficit of 28 points to six with 24 seconds remaining. Kirk Hinrich also had 18 points for Chicago.

Gilbert Arenas added 23 points and Antawn Jamison 18 for Washington.