LOS ANGELES – Derek Fisher hit a tiebreaking 3-pointer with 3.1 seconds to play and the Los Angeles Lakers survived a dismal offensive game by both teams for a 73-70 victory over the Mavericks on Monday night, snapping Dallas’ five-game winning streak.
Vince Carter missed a 3-pointer at the buzzer for the defending champion Mavericks, who swept Los Angeles out of the second round of the postseason last spring, ending the Lakers’ bid for a three-peat.
Neither team looked much like a championship contender in their first meeting since, with 3 1/2 miserable offensive quarters before the exciting finish.
Fisher scored 13 points and led a 10-0 run midway through the fourth quarter, but the Mavericks rallied to tie it on Jason Terry’s running jumper at the top of the key with 9.9 seconds left.
Kobe Bryant, whose streak of four straight 40-point games ended with just 14 against the Mavs, drew the Dallas defense before passing to Fisher. The veteran point guard calmly drilled a long 3-pointer from the wing.
Carter’s desperation try was far off, and the Lakers celebrated their ninth consecutive home victory since Christmas.
Andrew Bynum had 17 points and 15 rebounds for the Lakers, who have won six of seven overall
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