Mavericks 101, Spurs 94: Monta Ellis tied his season high with 38 points as Dallas overcame a slow start and held off visiting San Antonio.

Dirk Nowitzki added 15 points and 13 rebounds while Chandler Parsons scored 15 for the Mavericks, who moved into a virtual tie with the Spurs for the No. 6 spot in the Western Conference. Ellis went 16-of-27 from the field and added five assists and two steals as Dallas clipped a two-game slide.

Kawhi Leonard collected 19 points, nine rebounds and four steals as San Antonio had a three-game winning streak come to an end. Danny Green was the only other player to reach double figures with 17 points for the Spurs.

San Antonio used a 19-4 run in the first quarter to open up a 29-15 lead and was up 14 again early in the second before the Mavericks turned the tables and cut the deficit to 46-43 at the break. Nowitzki scored the go-ahead basket in an 8-0 run early in the third as Dallas continued its push out of the locker room.

Ellis scored seven points and Devin Harris added five in a 15-2 run that put the Mavericks in front 74-60 with 2:02 left in the third before the Spurs pulled within 10 points heading into the fourth quarter. Dallas scored the first seven points of the final stanza to spread it back out to a 17-point lead and San Antonio cut it to 97-90 with 1:43 left before Parsons hit a pair of free throws and Ellis added a jumper to put it away.

GAME NOTEBOOK: Dallas and San Antonio were an identical 19-of-45 from the field and 3-of-13 from 3-point range in the first half, with the Spurs hitting three more free throws. … Spurs G Manu Ginobili (ankle) returned from a three-game absence and scored seven points in 16 minutes off the bench. … Nowitzki (10,004) became the 37th player in NBA history to reach 10,000 career rebounds.