Chris Kaman, Darren Collison and Vince Carter tallied 14 points apiece as the Dallas Mavericks opened preseason play this afternoon with an 89-84 triumph over Alba Berlin up in Berlin, Germany.
The Mavs will complete their two-game European tour Tuesday at 2 p.m. CDT when they face FC Barcelona Regal in Barcelona, Spain.
In his return to his home country, Dirk Nowitzki was showered with love and finished with eight points, five rebounds, three turnovers and a blocked shot in 34 minutes. Nowitzki, who grew up in Wurzburg, Germany, was just 3-of-9 from the field.
The Mavs were crisp shooting the ball as they shot 53 percent from the field (35-of-66). However, they did a terrible job protecting the ball as they turned it over a whopping 26 times.
Guard Rodrigue Beaubois, who has had a history of injuries, left the game after spraining his left ankle. He finished with four points in 11 minutes.
Kaman, who sprained his lower back in the Mavs' first practice a week ago, was 7-of-9 from the floor and also had six rebounds and two blocks in 23 minutes. Collison converted 6-of-9 shots and added nine assists and two steals in 35 minutes.
Carter, meanwhile, came off the bench to made 5-of-9 shots and collect six rebounds in 21 minutes. Also for the Mavs, Shawn Marion picked up 12 points, 11 rebounds and three steals.
Deon Thompson led Berlin with 20 points.
-- Dwain Price
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