Mavs cruise past Pistons

The struggles against the Eastern Conference were long forgotten Wednesday night, as the Mavericks dominated Detroit 102-86 before 20,362 fans at a sold out American Airlines Center.

Dirk Nowitzki’s 23 points led five in double figures in Dallas’ fifth straight win, tying the longest winning streak this season. The Mavs (24-11) also moved into a virtual tie with San Antonio (23-10) atop the Southwest Division.

Avery Johnson’s team has played its best basketball over the last month, winning 12 of 15. The victory over the Pistons is one of the best showings in that stretch. The Mavs dominated inside, held Detroit (26-9) under 41-percent shooting and turned the game into a rout early in the fourth quarter.

“We competed defensively,” the Mavs coach said. “This is a tough team to play against. You’ve got to bring your hard hat. You can’t bring your pacifier. This game is not for whiners.”