DALLAS -- Shawn Marion and Dirk Nowitzki scored 22 points apiece and the Dallas Mavericks stayed within striking distance of the playoffs Wednesday with a 112-108 over the Houston Rockets before 20,344 at American Airlines Center.
The Mavs are now 27-33 on the season after gaining a split of this week's two-game set with Houston, with the Rockets winning the opener in Houston, 136-103, this past Sunday.
Darren Collison sealed Wednesday's game when he buried two free throws with 4.7 seconds left to account for the game's final two points.
Trailing 110-108, the Rockets had a chance to tie the game. But James Harden missed on a drive to the basket and the officials originally awarded the ball to the Rockets with 6.4 seconds remaining.
But after a review, the decision was reversed when replays indicated that the ball clearly went out of bounds off Harden's hand.
Besides Marion and Nowitzki, Vince Carter tallied 16 points for the Mavs, OJ Mayo had 13 points and a career-high 12 assists, and Brandan Wright finished with 12 points.
Harden led the Rockets (33-29) with 28 points and Chandler Parsons had 23 points.
The Mavs went up 109-104 with 1:51 after Mayo fed Nowitzki in the corner for a basket. But Harden made four straight free throws to pull the Rockets within 109-108 with 1:06 left.
Marion split a couple of free throws to pad the Mavs' lead to 110-108 with 49.9 seconds to go.
The Mavs now start a four-game road trip Friday in Detroit.
-- Dwain Price
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