Shawn's song

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

SALT LAKE CITY -- Shawn Marion scored a season-high 22 points, including a late layup, as the Dallas Mavericks defeated the Utah Jazz 94-91 Thursday night to snap a two-game losing streak and cool off the league's hottest team.

The Mavs (9-7) were coming off back-to-back last-possession losses to the Lakers and Clippers.

The Jazz (9-5) lost at home for only the second time all season, and second time in 10 games overall.

The Jazz were down by 13 in the second quarter and by 11 in the third before rallying.

Utah led by three early in the fourth after a dunk by C.J. Miles. The game was tied 87-87 before Jason Terry hit a three-pointer, and Marion a layup.

Al Jefferson led Utah with 22 points.

The physical game saw four technical fouls called and one player, Jazz forward Derrick Favours, ejected after throwing the ball in the stands late in the third quarter.

The Jazz used a 10-0 run to pull within 65-64 in the third, with back-to-back Jefferson steals setting up fast-break buckets by Raja Bell and Gordon Hayward. Jefferson then capped the run with a 16-footer.

Backup point guard Earl Watson tied it 69-69 on a three-point play off a pass inside by Favours, and a steal and fast-break layup by Miles gave the Jazz a 71-69 lead with 1:24 left in the third.

Then things got crazy. Watson was called for a technical, and Favours ejected for throwing the ball into the stands after a questionable call.

Dirk Nowitzki (12 points) sank both free throws to tie the score at 71 entering the fourth.

Utah shot 38.8 per cent while Dallas hit 52.1 per cent of its shots.

The Mavs led 59-50 at halftime but were up by as many as 13 after a 13-4 run fuelled by Marion's running jumper and Terry's three-pointer.

Nowitzki and the Mavs slowed down one of the league's hottest players in Paul Millsap, limiting the Jazz power forward to 2-of-7 shooting in the first half. Millsap had averaged 23.3 points and 9.8 rebounds in his previous four games but had just six at halftime and finished with 16 on 6-of-16 shooting.

Utah also had dominated in the paint in recent games but was outscored 30-18 in the first half in that category and 48-38 overall.

The Mavs led 25-22 after the first, but were up by as many as seven before Jefferson got Utah going with a soft jumper. He sparked an 8-2 run and had 10 points and five rebounds in the opening quarter.

Miles, who was coming off a season-high 19 points against the Clippers, added six off the bench in the first quarter for the Jazz. He finished with 17.

Lamar Odom, who has struggled to find his rhythm since being traded from L.A., started 3 of 3 on Thursday and finished with 11 points.

.NOTES: Mavs G/F Vince Carter missed his second straight game with a sprained left foot. Coach Rick Carlisle said before the game the injury is not serious, but that Carter would not re-join the team on this road trip, which ends Saturday in New Orleans. ... Former Mavs swingman Josh Howard missed his third straight game for Utah with a strained left quad. ... Nowitzki was whistled for a technical foul at the end of the first half. ... Entering Thursday's game, guard Jason Kidd needed 15 steals to pass Michael Jordan (2,514) for second place on the NBA's all-time list. He had none Thursday. John Stockton is first with 3,265 career thefts.