DALLAS -- Dirk Nowitzki looked like a 35-year-old veteran playing his fourth game in five nights in the first half against New Orleans -- and so did everyone else. Vin Baker Bucks Jersey . The Dallas star played like an MVP in his prime after halftime, when the game improved substantially for both teams. Nowitzki scored a season-high 40 points, and the Dallas Mavericks recovered from a brutal first quarter and held to beat New Orleans 110-107 on Saturday night for their second win in as many days against the Pelicans. The teams combined for more points in the third quarter than the entire first half. Nowitzki was the perfect illustration of the difference, getting 20 points in the third and hitting seven straight shots after starting just 2 of 9 from the field. "It was an ugly game in the first half," Nowitzki said. "Then all of a sudden the basket started opening up and everybodys confidence went up." Monta Ellis broke a 99-all tie with two free throws, and Nowitzki hit three more after getting fouled on a 3-pointer by Jason Smith. Nowitzki was 15 of 16 from the line and Ellis, who scored 26 points, made 12 of 15. Dallas was 39 of 45 as a team. Anthony Davis had 28 points and 14 rebounds for the Pelicans, who lost their fifth straight and dropped six games below .500, both season highs. The Mavericks, who won three of four games in a five-night stretch, almost blew a seven-point lead in the last 2 minutes after shooting 27 per cent in the first half, when Dallas led 42-37 before outscoring New Orleans 42-40 in the third. Davis made five of six free throws to get New Orleans within two at 106-104 with 18 seconds left. Dallas had to call timeout after having trouble inbounding the ball, and Nowitzki hit two foul shots for a four-point lead and his first 40-point game since April 16, 2012, at Utah. He also had 40 in that one. "Oh man, unbelievable," Ellis said of Nowitzki. "Ive seen that a lot throughout my career. For him to come out and give us that lift tonight really opened up a lot for us as a team." Darius Miller hit his fourth 3-pointer of the second half to get New Orleans within a point, and Jose Calderon hit two free throws for Dallas for the last of his 17 points with 9 seconds left. Austin Rivers tried to get off a 3-pointer at the buzzer but was tied up by Ellis. Rivers pleaded for a foul call as the referees were leaving the court, and coach Monty Williams said video showed Ellis had his arm across both of Rivers arms. "Thats embarrassing," said Williams, whose team also was playing for the fourth time in five nights. "Thats not right. A no-call in a game like that when Dirk gets the same call in the first half and they shot 45 free throws? Certainly, were not going to blame the game on the referees." Eric Gordon had 20 points for New Orleans before fouling out on a driving layup by Ellis that put Dallas up 106-99. Al-Farouq Aminu had 15 points and 11 rebounds. The Pelicans were playing their second straight game without leading scorer Ryan Anderson and assist leader Jrue Holiday. Anderson missed his fifth game with a herniated disc and is out indefinitely. Holiday has a stress fracture in his right shin. The Mavericks were without starter Shawn Marion for the fourth straight game with shoulder and rib injuries. Miller hit back-to-back 3-pointers and Davis had an alley-oop dunk and a jumper during a 10-2 run that put New Orleans up 95-92. In the first half, both teams appeared to be feeling the effects of their previous game a night earlier and 500 miles away in New Orleans -- a 107-90 Dallas win. The Mavericks were 2 of 19 from the field early in the second quarter when Nowitzki got fouled while making a 3-pointer and converted the four-point play. While that sparked a run to Dallas first lead, it didnt improve the shooting much. Dallas finished the first half 9 of 33 on field goals, and New Orleans was just 12 for 37 from the field in the first half. The ugly start also included multiple air balls and an air-mailed pass by Gordon -- about 10 feet over everybodys head into the third row behind the Dallas bench. It was one of six turnovers in the first half and eight overall for Gordon. NOTES: Mavericks rookie PG Shane Larkin sprained his right ankle in the third quarter and didnt return. ... The Mavericks didnt get their first field goal until Calderon hit a 3-pointer with 6:55 left in the first quarter. ... Nowitzki had the fourth 20-point quarter of his career. His highest was franchise-record 29 against Utah in the fourth quarter on Nov. 3, 2009. Milwaukee Bucks Jerseys .com) - Klay Thompson is quickly proving he is worth every penny of his recently signed four-year contract extension. Ersan Ilyasova Jersey . Cox started the season with San Francisco, but was released by the team on Nov. 12 before being signed by Seattle, where he appeared in two games and tallied three tackles before being released on Dec. http://www.nbabucksproshop.com/Authentic-Brook-Lopez-Bucks-Jersey/ .C. -- North Carolina State coach Mark Gottfried said his team had a "golden" opportunity to help its NCAA tournament chances.NEW YORK -- The stands were filled and the fences were much closer. Chris Young and the New York Mets certainly enjoyed the cozy confines across town. Young hit a tiebreaking homer in the eighth inning, Jenrry Mejia provided a jolt after his reluctant move to the bullpen and the previously punchless Mets went deep four times to rally past the banged-up Yankees 9-7 Monday night in the Subway Series opener. The crowd of 46,517, chanting back and forth, included Hall of Fame catcher Yogi Berra -- who received a warm hand on his 89th birthday -- and a large throng of Mets fans in left field wearing orange shirts that read "Bronx Invasion." "It was like a big party out there in the outfield, and it keeps you in the game," said Young, who played centre and left. "I was saying that I was having the most fun that Ive had even before the home run." After going 4-0 last year for their first season sweep of the Yankees, the Mets picked up right where they left off last May. Curtis Granderson connected in his return to Yankee Stadium, and the Mets also got long balls from Eric Young Jr. and Travis dArnaud while overcoming a pair of three-run deficits. Lumbering first baseman Lucas Duda turned in two spectacular defensive plays, starting a game-ending double play with runners at the corners by making a diving stop of Brian McCanns sharp grounder. Taking full advantage of a hitter-friendly ballpark, rather than the vast dimensions back home at Citi Field, the Mets hit four home runs in a game for the first time since May 3, 2013, in Atlanta, according to STATS. They began the day ranked 29th in the majors with 22 homers. "Part of it is being here," Mets manager Terry Collins explained, referring to both the fences and the environment. "This atmosphere creates intensity and creates focus, and guys are excited about being here." Brett Gardner hit an early grand slam off ex-Yankee Bartolo Colon, and Derek Jeter had three hits for the first time since Sept. 30, 2012, in Toronto. Carlos Beltran left in the seventh with a hyperextended right elbow and was scheduled to have an MRI. Beltran, the designated hitter, got hurt working in the indoor cage between at-bats. "Im concerned because it was enough to take himself out of the game," manager Joe Girardi said. Bumped into a struggling bullpen before the game, Mejia (4-0) entered in the seventh for his first relief appearance since September 2012. He struck out Alfonso Soriano on three pitches and worked a scoreless eighth. Mejia sure seemed to relish the role -- even though he made it clear he wanted to stay in the rotation because he was concerned about injuring his surgically repaired arm again. Brook Lopez Bucks Jersey. The right-hander excitedly pumped his fist after a double play and then backed his way off the mound following a called third strike that ended the eighth. "It feels pretty good. Ive got to enjoy it," a smiling Mejia said. "If they need me in the bullpen Ive got to be there because I never play for myself." Kyle Farnsworth pitched a shaky ninth for his third save -- aided by Mark Teixeiras nagging groin injury. Teixeira laced a pinch-hit single to right that went to the wall and sent Jeter to third base. A gimpy Teixeira had to stop at first, though, and was pulled for a pinch-runner. That kept the double play in order and Duda turned a rare 3-5-3 gem with third baseman David Wright, who was shifted near shortstop against McCann. Pinch-hitter Eric Campbell, enjoying his third day in the majors, got the Mets started in the eighth by hustling for a double after his sharp grounder caromed off third baseman Yangervis Solarte and into left field. Duda blooped a single to centre off Matt Thornton (0-1), and Campbell barely beat Jacoby Ellsburys accurate throw with a nifty slide at the plate. Chris Young greeted Preston Claiborne with a two-run shot to left, giving the Mets a 9-7 lead. "We really struggled today," Girardi said. "We didnt make pitches." The Yankees snapped a 4-all tie with three runs in the sixth off Colon, who gave up 11 hits for the second time this season. Young Jr. trimmed it to 7-6 with a two-run homer off Alfredo Aceves, who relieved starter Hiroki Kuroda in the seventh. In the first inning, Granderson turned and greeted fans in right field. The slugger signed a $60 million, four-year contract with the Mets in December after spending four seasons with the Yankees. He caused a bit of a stir in the off-season by saying, "A lot of the people Ive met in New York have always said that true New Yorkers are Mets fans." "The Mets fans came out in droves," Granderson said. NOTES: Mets President Saul Katz denied a report by The New York Times that he has expressed an interest in selling his share of the team. "I have no intention of selling my share of the Mets nor have I ever had any intention of selling my share," Katz said in a statement released by the club. ... The Mets plan to promote touted pitching prospect Rafael Montero from Triple-A Las Vegas to start Wednesday night at home against the Yankees in place of Mejia. It will be Monteros major league debut. ... Sorianos second-inning single made him the seventh player to get 1,000 hits in the American League and National League. ' ' '