Dirk Nowitzki poured in 35 points as the Dallas Mavericks dispatched the host Phoenix Suns 112-106 Thursday night in the final game before the NBA All-Star break.

Nowitzki finished 13 for 18 from the field and made all three of his 3-point attempts in his strongest offensive showing since missing nine games with a knee injury in early January. Jason Terry added 16 points and seven assists off the bench for Dallas (40-16), which heads into the break with the second-best record in the Western Conference.

Channing Frye had 24 points, and Steve Nash chipped in with 15 points and 14 assists for the Suns (27-27), who have lost six of their last seven meetings with the rival Mavs.

Nowitzki's 19 first-half points kept the Mavericks a step ahead of the Suns throughout the opening 24 minutes, and they enjoyed a 54-51 lead at the break. The teams traded the lead throughout the third quarter until Dallas took charge late, a Jason Kidd 3-pointer highlighting a 9-0 run that put the Mavs up 85-80 entering the fourth.

Phoenix narrowed the gap to 94-92 on a Nash layup midway through the quarter but fell apart after that as Tyson Chandler converted a three-point play and Kidd followed with a layup to extend the advantage to nine points.

The Suns drew to within three in the final minute, but couldn't get any closer.