It marked just the second time all season that the 39-year-old Nowitzki reached the 20-point mark. Dennis Smith Jr. also scored 20 points for the Mavericks, who ended a three-game slide while notching their sixth consecutive home victory over the Magic.

Wesley Matthews scored 16 points for Dallas and Harrison Barnes and Yogi Ferrell each added 15.

Aaron Gordon scored 19 points and D.J. Augustin added 18 for Orlando, which has dropped five straight games and 14 of its past 15. Mario Hezonja scored 14 points and Marreese Speights added 13 points and 10 rebounds but couldn't prevent the Magic from losing to Dallas for the 11th time in the past 13 meetings.

The Mavericks committed just four turnovers, made 19 of 22 free throws and scored 71 second-half points in a solid effort. Dallas shot 69.2 percent in the second half to finish at 51.8 percent.

Nowitzki's basket gave the Mavericks a 92-82 with 8:50 remaining but Orlando recovered to pull within four on Gordon's 20-footer with 4:17 to play. But Matthews converted a three-point and scored six points during a decisive 12-0 run that saw Dallas take a 112-96 lead with 58.5 seconds remaining.

The Mavericks trailed by five points at halftime before exploding for 39 third-quarter points.

Dallas scored the first nine points of the quarter and eventually took a 78-69 lead on a three-point play by Salah Mejri with 1:50 remaining. The Mavericks were 14 of 21 from the field in the stanza.

Orlando held a 30-19 rebounding edge in the first half as it took a 48-43 lead into the break.

Dallas used an early 13-0 run to take a 17-9 lead just past the midway point of the first quarter and led 25-19 at the end of the stanza.

Orlando rolled off the first 10 points of the second quarter to take a four-point lead. The Magic led 41-32 after Arron Afflalo's jumper with 3:49 left in the half before Dallas cut the margin to five on Nowitzki's 12-footer.

--Field Level Media