LOS ANGELES, Calif. - The Mavericks built a 12-point lead with 2:50 to play, gave away all but two points of it, and still managed to hang on. Dirk Nowitzki scored 26 points and Jose Calderon added 19 in the 113-107 win over the Clippers on Thursday night, the Mavericks first against Los Angeles this season. Blake Griffin had 25 points, 10 rebounds and 11 assists in his first triple-double of the season for the Clippers, who had won 17 of their previous 19, including four straight. They beat the Mavs in their first three meetings of the season, coming from behind each time. A night earlier, the Clippers came back from a 17-point deficit to beat Phoenix on the road, clinching their second straight Pacific Division title and third consecutive playoff berth. They nearly pulled it off again. Trailing by 12 points, Los Angeles scored 10 in a row, including six by Darren Collison, to trail 109-107 with 1:26 left. The Mavericks missed four straight shots and had a turnover before Griffin fouled Nowitzki near mid-court. "The win was nice; not so much the last couple of minutes," Nowitzki said. "We started giving the ball away again. (J.J.) Redick made some shots to actually give them the lead, which is unbelievable after we just had a 10-point lead. But Im glad we survived." Nowitzki made both of his free throws for a 111-107 lead with 17 seconds left. Collison fouled Shawn Marion and he made both to keep the Clippers down by six. "We ran out of miracles," Clippers coach Doc Rivers said. Samuel Dalembert and Monta Ellis added 12 points each, and Vince Carter had 16 for the Mavs, who won their third straight on a road while battling Memphis for the eighth and last Western Conference playoff spot. "It was a big win for us against a very good team, a team we hadnt beaten yet this year and a team that hasnt lost much on their home floor," Nowitzki said. "Were going to keep fighting. Theres six games left and theres plenty of challenges for us down the road." Dallas had the Clippers trailing for much of their last matchup of the season against each other. Los Angeles rallied to tie it 89-all early in the fourth on two free throws by Redick, who finished with 12 points in his first game since Feb. 3. He missed 25 games with a bulging disk in his back. "I felt limited by my rustiness," said Redick, usually a starter. "I felt like I couldve given us a bigger boost and didnt do that. I havent moved at that speed in two months. Definitely my brain wasnt reacting well." Nowitzki led a 10-0 run, sandwiching 3-pointers around a basket by Carter, to put Dallas back in front 99-89. A 3-pointer by Carter extended the Mavs lead to 104-93. Dallas clamped down on Chris Paul and Griffin for a stretch before the Clippers got hot. Paul finished with 17 points and nine assists. "We needed every single point of it," Nowitzki said. "The way we give away leads is sometimes mindboggling." DeAndre Jordan added 21 points and 15 rebounds, and Collison had 22 points for the Clippers. "We just ran out of time," Paul said. "We waited too long. Its a tough loss because we could have found a way to win." The Clippers rallied to start the third, using a 13-7 run to take a 69-65 lead. Jordan scored six points and four others scored. But their lead was short-lived. Dallas outscored the Clippers 21-12 to end the third leading 86-81. Calderon scored 10 in a row, Dalembert and Ellis had four each, and Carter and Devin Harris hit 3-pointers to keep the Clippers from regaining the lead. The Mavericks led by 11 twice in the first half, and were up 58-56 at halftime. NOTES: Clippers backup G Jamal Crawford missed his third straight game with a sore left Achilles tendon. F Danny Granger sat out with a strained left hamstring. Coach Doc Rivers said hed be surprised if either of them return before the playoffs begin in two weeks. ... The Mavs avoided getting swept by the Clippers for the first time since 1993-94. ... It was Griffins fourth triple-double of his career. Margus Hunt Jersey . McCutchen hit his first home run in over a month, doubled twice and scored two runs to help the Pirates beat the Los Angeles Dodgers 5-3 on Sunday and take three of four from the defending NL West champions. Malik Hooker Womens Jersey .J. -- Richard Sherman, Russell Wilson and Marshawn Lynch deservedly draw the attention for what theyve done in getting the Seattle Seahawks to the Super Bowl. http://www.coltsofficialstore.us/authentic-marvin-harrison-colts-jersey/ . How foolishly wrong I was. Forget the now inherent corruption and back handed favours that plague the beautiful game. Goal Line Technology? Youre having a laugh. As for them penalty cheating bandits, footballs lawmakers upend them by awarding the penalty to the opponent each time a player attempts to con the referee into awarding ghost penalties. Ben Banogu Youth Jersey . In sunny and almost windless conditions, the Swede shot four consecutive birdies on the front nine on his way to a 68 and went 9 under for a one-shot lead over Englands Lee Slattery and two over Paraguays Farbrizio Zanotti (68). Parris Campbell Jersey . Make the extra pass, take care of the ball, play defence and get more out of his bench.VANCOUVER -- Victor Montagliani, president of the Canadian Soccer Association, says its misinformation and hyperbole to claim women players are being discriminated against because of plans to use artificial turf at next years FIFA Womens World Cup. FIFA, soccers world governing body, will make the final decision on what turf will be used during next years championship, which will be played in six Canadian cities, Montagliani said Thursday. But he took exception to comments contained in a letter that the CSA was involved in "discriminatory treatment of women players." "I will say that is the biggest form of misinformation I have ever heard in my life," Montagliani said in an address to the Vancouver Board of Trade. "Those of you who know me, know that there would be a few more adjectives before that." Later, addressing reporters, Montagliani again denied any sort of discrimination against women. "Thats nothing but misinformation and typical hyperbole that has no room in the game," he said. The World Cup will attract 23 nations plus host Canada. The competition will see 52 matches between June 6 and July 5. BC Place Stadium in Vancouver will be the site of nine matches, including the final. Other games will be held in Moncton, N.B., Montreal, Ottawa, Winnipeg and Edmonton. A group of 40 international women soccer players have threatened a lawsuit over the plan to use artificial turf at the stadiums. They argue female athletes are being discriminated against because the mens World Cup is played on natural grass. The group includes stars like American Abby Wambach and Germans Nadine Angerer, the World Player of the year. Artificial turf is harder and faster than grass. It also has been linked to an increase in injury. The group sent a letter to Canadian soccer officials and FIFA. "Singling out this womens tournament for substandard treatment is a mistake," the letter says. "If your organizations will not engage in a meaningful dialogue on how to correct the discriminatory treatment of women players, we are prepared to pursue legal action which we are confident should succeed." Celebrities such as actor Tom Hanks and NBA superstars Kobe Bryant and Kevin Durant have lent their support to the women. Montagliani said the CSA currently spends just over $4 million a year on the womens program, about twice the amount spent on the mens program. "The reality is werre very proud of the investment we make on the womens side of the game," he said.dddddddddddd "We might be the only federation that invests more in the womens game than we do the mens game. "To say we are not pulling our weight in that respect is nothing further from the truth." Sophie Schmidt, a national team veteran and member of the squad that won a bronze medal at the 2012 London Olympics, also spoke at the event but was careful in her comments when asked if organizers should be forced to use natural grass. "I will say Im pretty sure that every soccer player of any age wants to play on grass," she said. Montagliani couldnt say if it was even possible to install natural grass at the six stadiums in the time remaining before the tournament begins. "Im not a technician," he said. "Thats not my expertise. Those are things that are in the bailiwick of FIFA." Another issue would be who would pay for the cost of grass fields, the CSA or FIFA. "Those are discussions that would have to happen," Montagliani said. He denied the turf issue is a distraction. "Its not a distraction to us," Montagliani said. "As organizers we are doing our daily job. "Our staff is doing their daily job, our team is preparing for the World Cup." The CSA says hosting the World Cup and this years U-20 championship have a combined economic impact of $337 million across the country. The projections, compiled by the Canadian Sport Tourism Alliance, predict the World Cup will generate $267 million in economic activity. British Columbia can expect $52 million in economic impact, of which $37 million will be in Vancouver. Montagliani said the CSA is considering bidding for the 2026 mens World Cup. To be successful, the country would need eight venues to host games. "To say a country like Canada doesnt have the infrastructure to do that or to invest in that, I find that highly doubtful," he said. One stumbling block for bidding could be the Canadians mens team struggles to qualify for the World Cup. Montagliani said the CSA has a long-term strategy to make the mens program a contender. He also pointed to Qatar hosting the 2022 World Cup while taking a swipe at Brazils 7-1 loss to Germany in this years semifinal. "Qatar doesnt really have much of a mens team," he said. "I dont think Brazil actually had much of one either." ' ' '