DALLAS (AP) – Dirk Nowitzki had 32 points and 13 rebounds despite missing most of the third quarter with a sprained ankle and the Dallas Mavericks beat the Philadelphia 76ers 104-92 on Monday night for their 19th victory in their last 20 games.

Jason Terry added 24 points for the Mavericks, who extended their club-record home winning streak to 15 games.

Nowitzki, Dallas’ top scorer and rebounder, gave his team a scare when he limped to the locker room in the first minute of the third quarter after he landed on the foot of teammate Adrian Griffin while playing defense.

X-rays were negative and Nowitzki was back on the floor to start the fourth quarter. He had 11 points in the final 12 minutes of the Mavericks’ sixth consecutive win.

Dallas led 57-45 when Nowitzki left, and was in front 84-69 when he returned.

Marquis Daniels had 16 points for the Mavericks, who were without three players: Josh Howard (sprained right ankle), Keith Van Horn (upset stomach) and Devin Harris (left thigh injury). Coach Avery Johnson went with eight players, giving extensive playing time to Daniels (38 minutes) and Darrell Armstrong (25 minutes).

Allen Iverson scored 29 points for the Sixers, who had won three straight.

Chris Webber and Kyle Korver had 19 points apiece for Philadelphia, which was able to get as close as 98-92 with 1:57 left on Korver’s 3-pointer.

But Erick Dampier’s layup with 1:29 left and Nowitzki’s two free throws with 35 seconds remaining increased Dallas’ advantage to 102-92.

The Mavericks had been getting off to sleepy starts, falling behind by 19 and 24 points in their two previous games before rallying for victories.

This time Dallas came out with energy and focus, sprinting to a 13-2 lead over the opening 2:12 with the help of two 3-pointers from Nowitzki and one from Terry.

Dallas finished the first quarter with a 37-20 lead behind Nowitzki’s 5-for-6 shooting and eight rebounds. The Mavericks outrebounded Philadelphia 19-4 in the first and matched their highest-scoring quarter of the season.

Nowitzki had 21 first-half points to help Dallas, which was in front by as many as 20 in the second quarter, to a 55-45 halftime lead.

Notes: Philadelphia center Samuel Dalembert sat out with an ankle injury. … Dallas had lost five of its previous seven home games against Philadelphia.

AP-ES-02-27-06 2315EST