Mavericks 113, Jazz 108: Mike James scored a season-high 19 points to lead seven players in double figures as host Dallas sent skidding Utah to its fourth straight defeat.

Dirk Nowitzki had 17 points and Shawn Marion and Vince Carter scored 15 apiece as the Mavericks pulled into a tie with the Jazz for ninth place in the Western Conference - two games behind the Los Angeles Lakers.

Enes Kanter scored 17 points and Paul Millsap and Al Jefferson added 15 points apiece for Utah, which tumbled to its ninth consecutive road defeat and went 0-3 on its trip through Texas.

Dallas, which had lost two previous matchups against the Jazz this season, took control of the game late in the third quarter. James scored seven points in a 14-2 closing run to give the Mavericks an 83-71 lead.

A 6-0 run to open the fourth pushed the lead to 18 points for Dallas, which led by as many as 21 and was ahead 94-77 with three minutes to play before withstanding a last-minute blitz by Utah.

GAME NOTEBOOK: James hit three 3-pointers to help the Mavericks finish 9-of-18 from behind the arc. ... Utah's nine-game road losing streak is its longest since dropping 17 in a row during the 1981-82 season. ... Dallas ended a three-game overall skid to the Jazz and beat them at home for the fifth straight time.