Mavs eliminate Suns, face Heat in Finals

PHOENIX – Avery Johnson put the “D” in Dallas. Then the coach put the Mavericks in the NBA finals for the first time in the franchise’s 26-year history.

Dirk Nowitzki shook off an awful start and the Mavericks’ defense shut down Phoenix in a second-half comeback, beating the Suns 102-93 on Saturday night to win the Western Conference finals 4-2. Next up is Miami.

Johnson, the NBA coach of the year in his first full season, focused on adding toughness and defense to a team known as a high-scoring, finesse squad.

“That’s the kind of defense we play under Avery,” Nowitzki said, “and it won us the game in the second half.”

Nowitzki, coming off a career playoff high 50 points in Game 5, scored 16 of his 24 points in the second half and the Mavericks clinched a series on the road for the third time in three tries in these playoffs.

The Suns, trying to survive a fifth elimination game in the playoffs, appeared well on their way to sending this series back to Dallas for a Game 7: They shot out to a 16-point first-quarter lead and were up by as many as 18 in the second.

Dallas outscored the Suns 63-42 in the second half.

Josh Howard added 20 points and 15 rebounds for the Suns and Jason Terry added 17 points, all in the second half. Jerry Stackhouse scored 19 for Dallas.

Boris Diaw had 30 points and 11 rebounds for Phoenix. Steve Nash added 19 points, nine assists.