Nowitzki scores 46 for mavericks

Layups, jumpers, three-pointers; Dirk Nowitzki was making them all. Yet the Dallas Mavericks still trailed by 13 points. Nowitzki never lost his touch, however, and when his teammates found

theirs the Mavericks pulled away from the Portland Trail Blazers for a 96-86 victory Saturday night in the opener of their best-of-seven first-round series. Nowitzki scored a career-best 46

points, the most by a Maverick in the playoffs and four shy of the team record. He made his first six shots and had 23 in each half. He also had 10 rebounds. Most importantly, he scored 10

during a game-changing 15-1 spurt in the third quarter. “I was trying to be aggressive, that was my major thing -- to get to the basket and the free throw line,” said Nowitzki, who finished

16 of 27, going four for five on three-pointers and making 10 of 11 free throws. Rasheed Wallace, who left the game for four minutes during the pivotal Dallas run because of an ankle injury,

had 26 points for Portland, whose playoff losing streak reached eight games. Game 2 is Wednesday. Boston 103, Indiana 100 -- Paul Pierce scored 21 of his 40 points in the final quarter,

leading the Celtics back from a 13-point deficit in the final seven minutes to beat the Pacers in Game 1 of their first-round series at Indianapolis. Pierce also went 21 for 21 from the free

throw line, setting an NBA playoff record for most free throws made without a miss. Ron Artest had 26 points for the Pacers, who made only four field goals in the fourth quarter. Game 2 is

Monday night. Sacramento 96, Utah 90 -- Chris Webber had 27 points and 11 rebounds as the Kings won Game 1 at Sacramento. Slowed once again by Utah’s famously deliberate style, the Kings

nursed a small lead throughout the second half before pulling away. Karl Malone had 27 points, eight assists and seven rebounds. Game 2 is Monday night. New Jersey 109, Milwaukee 96 -- The

great point guard matchup between Jason Kidd and Gary Payton was a mismatch in Game 1. Kidd schooled his playground mentor with 14 points, 14 assists and six rebounds, holding Payton

scoreless for more than three quarters as the Nets rolled at East Rutherford, N.J. Payton didn’t score until there was 4:10 to go. He finished with eight points, 10 assists and five

turnovers in a game in which the Nets led by 20 at halftime and 31 early in the fourth quarter. Kenyon Martin, who took an awkward fall under the basket early in the third quarter, returned

and had 21 points and 15 rebounds in leading seven Nets in double figures. Tim Thomas led the Bucks with 25 points. Game 2 is Tuesday. * (BEGIN TEXT OF INFOBOX) First-Round Matchups Best of

Seven (All times PDT) *--* EASTERN CONFERENCE *--* NO. 1 DETROIT vs. NO. 8 ORLANDO Today...at Detroit, 9:30 a.m. (ESPN) Wednesday... at Detroit, 5 p.m. Friday...at Orlando, 5 p.m. April

27...at Orlando, 2:30 p.m. April 30...at Detroit, TBA* May 2...at Orlando, TBA* May 4...at Detroit, TBA* NO. 2 NEW JERSEY vs. NO. 7 MILWAUKEE Nets lead series, 1-0 Game 1...New Jersey,

109-96 Tuesday...at New Jersey, 4 p.m. Thursday...at Milwaukee, 5:30 p.m. Saturday...at Milwaukee, 2 p.m. April 29...at New Jersey, TBA* May 1...at Milwaukee, TBA* May 3...at New Jersey,

TBA* NO. 3 INDIANA vs. NO. 6 BOSTON Celtics lead series, 1-0 Game 1...Boston, 103-100 Monday...at Indiana, 5:30 p.m. Thursday...at Boston, 3 p.m. April 27...at Boston, 9 a.m. April 29...at

Indiana, TBA* May 1...at Boston, TBA* May 3...at Indiana, TBA* NO. 4 PHILA. vs. NO. 5 NEW ORLEANS Today...at Philadelphia, 5 p.m. (TNT) Wednesday...at Philadelphia, 4 p.m. Saturday...at New

Orleans, 4:30 p.m. April 28...at New Orleans, 5 p.m. April 30...at Philadelphia, TBA* May 2...at New Orleans, TBA* May 4...at Philadelphia, TBA* *--* WESTERN CONFERENCE *--* NO. 2 SACRAMENTO

vs. NO. 7 UTAH Kings lead series, 1-0 Game 1...Sacramento, 96-90 Monday...at Sacramento, 7:30 p.m. Saturday...at Utah, 7 p.m. April 28...at Utah, 7:30 p.m. April 30...at Sacramento, TBA*

May 2...at Utah, TBA* May 4...at Sacramento, TBA* NO. 3 DALLAS vs. NO. 6 PORTLAND Mavericks lead series, 1-0 Game 1...Dallas, 96-86 Wednesday...at Dallas, 6:30 p.m. Friday...at Portland,

7:30 p.m. April 27...at Portland, 5 p.m. April 30...at Dallas, TBA* May 2...at Portland, TBA* May 4...at Dallas, TBA* * if necessary MORE TO READ