DALLAS - Josh Howard scored 29 points and Dirk Nowitzki had 27 as the Dallas Mavericks avenged their only loss over the past six weeks with a 114-95 victory over the Los Angeles Lakers on Thursday night.

Los Angeles Lakers Kobe Bryant wipes sweat from his face during second quarter NBA action against the Dallas Mavericks in Dallas, Texas January 18, 2007. [Reuters]

Dallas has won 19 of 20 games, six in a row since a 101-98 loss in Los Angeles on Jan. 7 that ended a 13-game winning streak.

After the Mavericks started 0-4 for the first time in team history, the defending Western Conference champions reached the midpoint of their regular season with the NBA's best record (33-8).

Jason Terry had a season-high 13 assists, one early in the second quarter coming when he missed underneath, got his own rebound and swiped the ball in one motion to Nowitzki at the top of the key for a 3-pointer. That basket put the Mavs up 32-30, and they never trailed again.

Terry scored a basket on the next Dallas possession, after Greg Buckner's steal.

Kobe Bryant had 26 points for the Lakers, whose three-game winning streak included a 100-96 victory at San Antonio on Wednesday night. Even though Bryant scored 13 points in the third quarter, that's when Dallas took control.

Howard and Nowitzki led six players in double-figure scoring for Dallas, which got 14 from Devean George, 12 from Terry and 11 each from Jerry Stackhouse and Buckner. Howard had 11 rebounds, while Nowitzki and Erick Dampier (who was scoreless) grabbed 10 boards each.

Dallas pushed the lead to 60-48 by scoring on 11 of its last 14 possessions before halftime, including six points by Anthony Johnson in the final 1:02, when he twice beat an expiring shot clock.

Johnson's long jumper gave Dallas its first 10-point lead, 56-46. Johnson hit two free throws after Bryant's turnover on an offensive foul. Johnson grabbed a loose ball and made a desperation 12-foot runner with 4.6 seconds left in the half - and zero on the shot clock.

Dallas stretched its lead to as many as 28 points in the third quarter, when the Lakers went more than seven minutes without making a field goal.

Terry's 3-pointer that made it 82-57 with 5:20 left in the third quarter capped an 11-0 run that began when he penetrated the paint before dishing out to Nowitzki on the right wing for a 3. Terry also had a behind-the-back pass to Nowitzki for another basket.

Jordan Farmar's 3-pointer with 1:12 left in the third quarter ended the Lakers' field goal drought (eight misses in a row), but they were already down 91-68 by then.

Farmer finished with 17 points and Sasha Vujacic had 10.

George, who spent his first seven NBA seasons with the Lakers before signing as a free agent with Dallas last offseason, started against his former team because regular starter Devin Harris was ill. George missed his first two shots, leading to an early timeout when he got an earful from coach Avery Johnson, then made seven of his last eight.

Harris was sent home before the game with a "really high" temperature.