LAST NIGHT IN THE NBA

MAVERICKS at PACERS:

Dirk Nowitzki had 31 points and 11 rebounds as the Dallas Mavericks pulled away in the closing minutes for an 84- 75 victory over the Indiana Pacers. The Pacers, playing their first game at home after a five- game western road trip, cut a 14- point Dallas lead to 75- 71 with under four minutes remaining. But Adrian Griffin, Nowitzki and Marquis Daniels hit consecutive baskets for the Mavericks, and after a basket by Indiana’s Ron Artest, Nowitzki put the game out of reach with a threepointer with 58 seconds remaining.

Sarunas Jasikevicius finished the scoring for the Pacers with two free throws.

Devin Harris added 15 points and Keith Van Horn had 11 for Dallas.

Jermaine O’Neal led Indiana with 25 points and 13 rebounds, and Artest added 15 points and five steals. The Pacers, appearing tired from their longest road trip of the season, missed 11 of their first 14 shots and were constantly beaten to the boards and loose balls.

Nowitzki had 17 points in the first half, including four in an 8- 2 run that put the Mavericks in control midway through the first quarter. The Pacers, who never led and managed only one tie, went more than six minutes without a field goal and trailed by eight before the first basket by O’Neal, who missed his first five attempts.

Indiana cut the lead to five points early in the second quarter but a fast- break basket and free throw by Harris and two more free throws by Van Horn pushed the Mavericks’ lead to 33- 23.

Alate flurry kept Indiana close, but Artest missed two free throws with less than a second left in the half to keep the Dallas lead at 46- 40 at the break. The Pacers’ cold shooting continued in the third when they missed their first seven shots. Three quick baskets by Nowitzki helped give the Mavericks a 54- 42 lead.

Dallas took its biggest lead at 71- 57 on a three- pointer by Darrell Armstrong early in the fourth. NOTES: Mavericks owner Mark Cuban sat at the end of the Dallas bench, shouting at the Pacers and the officials throughout the game. Across the court was Stephen Hilbert, founder and former chairman of Conseco Ind., for which Conseco Fieldhouse is named. . . . Jason Terry, the second- leading scorer for Dallas, did not play because of a strained right hamstring from Monday night’s 102-94 victory over Chicago. LAKERS at BUCKS: Kobe Bryant poured in 33 points to lead the Los Angeles Lakers to a 111- 92 victory over the Milwaukee Bucks. Lamar Odom had 20 points and nine rebounds. HORNETS at GRIZZLIES:

Pau Gasol had 29 points and 15 rebounds as the New Orleans Hornets demolished the Memphis Grizzlies 89- 73.