PHOENIX - In a rematch of last season's Western Conference finals, Dirk Nowitzki scored 35 points, Jason Terry had 30 and Jerry Stackhouse had 23 as the Dallas Mavericks beat the Phoenix Suns 119-112 Thursday night for their first victory of the season.

Dallas Mavericks forward Dirk Nowitzki (C) passes to a teammate while being guarded by Phoenix Suns Jalen Rose (L) and Kurt Thomas (R) during first quarter NBA action in Phoenix, Arizona, November 9, 2006. [Reuters]

Leandro Barbosa scored 30 points, Shawn Marion had 21 and Steve Nash had 20 for Phoenix, which fell to 1-5, the Suns' worst start since they dropped 13 in a row to open the 1996-97 season.

The Mavs came into the game shooting 42.4 percent from the floor, 27th in the NBA. But Dallas shot 54.8 percent against Phoenix's porous defense.

This was the first meeting of the clubs since last summer's Western Conference finals, won by Dallas in six games. And it was played at the same frantic pace, with six lead changes and three ties in the final quarter. But this time the teams were motivated by desperation rather than a trip to the NBA Finals.

The Suns and Mavs entered the game with a combined 1-8 record, and both teams were last in their divisions.

Dallas followed its first appearance in the NBA finals by stumbling out of the gate, losing its first four games for the first time in franchise history.

Dallas surged to a 95-85 lead in the first minute of the fourth period before the Suns ran off 10 straight points to tie it at 95-95 with 9 minutes left.

Jalen Rose's eight-footer put Phoenix ahead 99-97, its first lead since early in the second half. Ninety seconds later, Rose nailed a three-pointer to give the Suns a 102-101 lead.

Rose, who was waived by the New York Knicks at the end of training camp, made his second appearance for the Suns.

Dallas responded to that three with an 8-3 spurt to take a 109-105 lead. After the Suns tied it at 112-112 on Nash's five-footer with 1:27 to go, the Mavs' Stackhouse hit two free throws.

After Nash missed a fallaway jumper, Terry drained an 18-footer to put Dallas ahead by four with 32 seconds to go. An offensive foul on Amare Stoudemire ended Phoenix's

Early on, the Suns showed no effects of their heartbreaking 111-106 overtime loss in San Antonio the previous night, jumping out to a 19-10 lead less than five minutes into the game. But the Suns have shown a tendency to blow leads this season, and the Mavs woke up and began shooting as if it was still June.

Dallas went on a 20-2 run to take a 30-21 lead late in the first period. Terry sparked the run by scoring and drawing a foul on Barbosa. And Nowitzki fueled it with two jumpers and a three-point play.

Nowitzki had 25 points at halftime - one shy of his season high.

The Suns had seen this Nowitzki before. He burned them for a franchise-record 50 points in Game 5 of the conference finals and led Dallas with 24 in the series clincher here.