Mavs find unlikely hero in Game 5 victory

DALLAS (AP) -- Raja Bell was the unlikely hero for the Dallas Mavericks, who usually depend on their big three.

Steve Nash, Dirk Nowitzki and Michael Finley all had solid games for the Mavericks, but it was Bell who outshot the Sacramento Kings in a game-turning third quarter of a 112-93 victory Tuesday night.

Dallas took a 3-2 series lead heading into Thursday's Game 6 at Sacramento.

"That's what we needed," said Mavericks forward Raef LaFrentz. "We can't just rely on three or four guys to carry us. Raja was huge, and really helped us."

Bell provided a big boost for the suddenly re-energized Mavericks with four baskets and nine of his 13 points in the third quarter. That was one more basket than Sacramento managed while being outscored 29-10 in the period.

"Bell was our best player in Game 4, and that is not saying a whole lot, but he was really the only player that did well in that game," said Mavericks coach Don Nelson. "He played well again tonight. He was being active and rebounding. He is physically able to do some things that our players can't do."

Plus, Bell is much more rested than the Mavericks' superstars.

Bell made only his second start this postseason, filling in for the injured Adrian Griffin. He had scored 16 points, matching the team high, in Dallas' 99-83 loss in Game 4 on Sunday.

Jackson 'feeling good' after returning from angioplasty

SAN ANTONIO -- Phil Jackson resumed his usual position on the Los Angeles bench for Tuesday night's late Game 5 between the Lakers and the San Antonio Spurs.

Jackson was feeling some discomfort from his heart procedure, but he was strong enough to make the trip to San Antonio after missing the Lakers' 99-95 win Sunday at Staples Center to tie the best-of-seven Western Conference semifinal series at 2-2.

"I haven't gotten rid of the allergic reaction part of it, but I'm feeling good," Jackson said before a shootaround Tuesday.

Mavs' Nowitzki, Bell fined after altercation Sunday

NEW YORK -- Dirk Nowitzki and Raja Bell of the Dallas Mavericks were fined by the NBA on Tuesday for their conduct in Sunday night's playoff game at Sacramento.

Nowitzki was fined $5,000 for kicking a pile of towels with 2:30 left in the Kings' 99-83 victory. Bell was fined $7,500 for verbally abusing an official.

76ers' Iverson added as complaintant in shooting

PHILADELPHIA --A man accused of firing a gun at a group of people that included Allen Iverson, hitting one of the Philadelphia 76ers guard's friends in the leg, is charged with four counts of attempted murder, police said Tuesday.

The one person who was hit by a bullet allegedly fired by Carlos Perez, 24, of Philadelphia, had an injury minor enough that he was able to drive himself to a hospital in Iverson's 2000 Bentley.

The injured man, Larry Robinson, of Smithfield, Va., was treated and released.

-- From wire reports