Mavs come from behind to top Heat, even series

MIAMI (AP) - Dirk Nowitzki and the Dallas Mavericks put a stunning end to their misery in Miami.

Now they can win their first NBA title without ever coming back to South Florida.

Nowitzki made the tie-breaking layup with 3.6 seconds left, and the Mavericks roared back from 15 points down with 6 minutes left in the fourth quarter to beat the Heat 95-93 on Thursday night and tie the NBA finals at one game apiece.

Capping a furious rally by scoring Dallas' final nine points, Nowitzki's final two baskets were left-handed — despite a torn tendon on his non-shooting hand.

Dwyane Wade had 36 points for Miami, but his desperation 3-pointer was off at the buzzer.

Game 3 is Sunday in Dallas.

THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. Check back soon for further information. AP's earlier story is below.

MIAMI (AP) — Dwyane Wade had 21 points and the Miami Heat scored the final nine points of the second quarter to tie the Dallas Mavericks 51-51 at halftime in Game 2 of the NBA finals Thursday night.

The Heat's late surge came after LeBron James went to the bench with his third foul.

Miami came into the game leading the best-of-seven series 1-0. The Heat are trying for the franchise's second title after topping Dallas in six games in the 2006 finals.

Wade shot 9 for 13 from the field, blocked two shots and added three steals and three assists. His 3-pointer with 25 seconds left in the half tied the game.

James had 12 points and five rebounds for the Heat, who shot 53 percent after shooting 39 percent in Game 1. James, Wade and Chris Bosh began the night three victories from the title they joined forces to win last summer.

Dallas' Dirk Nowitzki, playing with his left middle finger wrapped after tearing a tendon late in Game 1, shot only 3 for 10 and had nine points. But the Mavericks outscored Miami by seven points during his 19 minutes.

Teammate DeShawn Stevenson made three 3-pointers for Dallas. Shawn Marion had 10 points for the Mavs, who shot 49 percent after shooting 37 percent in Game 1, their worst effort of the postseason.

Both teams started out shooting much better than in Game 1, which made for a wild first quarter, with eight lead changes. Miami shot 57 percent, Dallas 53 percent, and the score at the end of the period was 28-all.

The Mavs began like a team desperate to even the series and took a 12-6 lead, but they had trouble slowing Wade. Flying through the air under the basket, he passed to James for a 3-pointer that put Miami up 14-13.

Jason Terry provided a spark during an 8-0 run by the Mavericks that put them ahead 38-32.

When Wade missed a layup, Jason Kidd hustled the ball to the other end and fed Marion for a layup and a 51-42 lead with 3 minutes left in the half. But those were Dallas' final points.

The Mavericks, badly outrebounded in Game 1, had a 23-21 edge on the boards through halftime of Game 2. But their usually reliable bench struggled for the second straight game, totaling only four baskets and four rebounds.