The AP reports:
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Trailing by 15 points with only 5 minutes to play in one of the NBA’s rowdiest arenas, the Dallas Mavericks were just wishing and hoping for the best.
Dirk Nowitzki and Jason Kidd delivered, and the Mavs suddenly find themselves only one win away from the NBA finals.
Nowitzki scored 40 points, Kidd hit the go-ahead 3-pointer with 40 seconds left in overtime and the Mavericks staged an improbable rally to stun the Oklahoma City Thunder 112-105 on Monday night and take a 3-1 lead in the Western Conference finals…
Dallas didn’t lead until Nowitzki hit two free throws 16 seconds into overtime, needing to rally from a 99-84 deficit in the final 5 minutes of regulation. The Mavericks never let the Thunder—who were one win shy of tying an NBA record with eight OT wins in the regular season—go ahead in the extra period…
Kevin Durant finished with 29 points and 15 rebounds, and Serge Ibaka had 18 points and 10 boards for Oklahoma City. Russell Westbrook added 19 points, eight rebounds and eight assists…
Durant had nine of the Thunder’s 26 turnovers, including the one that led to the big shot by the 38-year-old Kidd…
Kidd scored 17 to go with seven assists, five rebounds and four steals…
Oklahoma City came roaring out of the gates after trailing by as many as 17 points in the first quarter of Game 3. The Thunder hit their first nine shots and took an 18-8 lead after Durant caught a deflected inbounds pass and zoomed in for a right-handed jam.
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