Dirk-less Mavericks rout Clippers, 103-90
NATIONAL BASKETBALL ASSOCIATION

GETTING BACK ON TRACK - Dallas Mavericks forward Josh Howard (right) goes up for a shot attempt as Los Angeles Clippers forward Tim Thomas defends. Howard finished with 32 points, and the Mavericks beat the Clippers, 103-90, on Tuesday.

DALLAS (AP) - Josh Howard's performance assured the Dallas Mavericks that all is not lost without Dirk Nowitzki.

Howard scored 32 points, Jerry Stackhouse had 20, Erick Dampier had 19 points and 17 rebounds and Jason Kidd neared a triple-double, lifting the Mavericks past the Los Angeles Clippers 103-90 on Tuesday night.

The Mavericks (45-26) are off tonight, and play at Denver on Thursday, a 7 p.m. Central time tipoff.

With Nowitzki out indefinitely with a sprained ankle and knee, Howard had a simple game plan to pick up the slack for the Mavericks' leading scorer and rebounder.

"If everyone goes up four or five points, that'll cover it," Howard said.

In the third quarter, Dallas was up only 60-58 and in need of a Nowitzki-like surge. Howard provided it, scoring 20 of the team's next 26 points for a 16-point lead early in the fourth quarter.

The win kept Dallas (45-26) in the seventh spot in the West, two games ahead of Golden State and 2 1/2 ahead of Denver. The Mavericks are headed on the road for games against those two teams, and will play five of their next six against teams in the playoff chase.

"We're up to the challenge," Stackhouse said. "We don't have to win out, but we all have to pick it up a little."

In other NBA games, it was: New Orleans 114, Indiana 106; San Antonio 107, Orlando 97; Chicago 103, Atlanta 94; Utah 128, Charlotte 106; and Portland 102, Washington 82.

At Dallas, Howard struggled early, going 2-of-11 and getting to the line only once in the first half. Dampier stepped in and got 12 points and 12 rebounds over the first two quarters.

"Damp obviously was very inspired," coach Avery Johnson said. "We need him to do what he did tonight, not necessarily the numbers but being aggressive going to the basket."

Howard finished 8-of-22, made all 15 of his free throws, had seven rebounds and four steals, while Kidd had 10 points, eight assists and six rebounds.

Corey Maggette had 21 points for the Clippers, who lost their eighth straight.

"We did a good job as long as we could," coach Mike Dunleavy said. "I thought we played hard. We didn't give up. We didn't bow out."