Streaking Mavs polish off road trip in Brooklyn

(SportsNetwork.com) - The Dallas Mavericks are the hottest team in the NBA and they'll try to carry that momentum into Brooklyn on Monday when they battle the Nets at the Barclays Center.

The Mavs have won five straight and are 2-0 on this current road trip, which ends Monday. They opened the trek with an emotional win in Rajon Rondo's return to Boston, then dismantled the short-handed Cleveland Cavaliers Sunday, 109-90.

With LeBron James out of the lineup and Kyrie Irving departing in the third quarter with back stiffness, the Mavs shot 56.1 percent from the field and had six players in double figures.

Monta Ellis scored 20 points to lead the Mavericks.

Dirk Nowitzki added 15 points and Chandler Parsons, Tyson Chandler and J.J. Barea each scored 14 for the Mavericks, who moved into a virtual tie with Memphis for first place in the Southwest Division.

"They're down bodies," Mavericks coach Rick Carlyle said after Sunday's game. "Irving is out after a little bit in the second half, so we had to take advantage of it. But they battled us all day long."

Rondo only had four points, but handed out eight assists.

The Nets had a three-game winning streak snapped on Sunday with an 88-84 road loss to the Miami Heat. Brooklyn has won six of its last eight and begins a three-game homestand Monday with Boston and Philly in for visits later in the week.

Chris Bosh and Dwyane Wade combined to score 51 points to lead the Heat. Miami never trailed and led by as many as 11, but the future Hall of Fame duo was too much for Brooklyn.

"We couldn't stop Bosh. We couldn't stop Wade," Nets coach Lionel Hollins said.

It was a one-possession game in the final seconds after the Nets scored four quick points, beginning with Joe Johnson's bucket in the paint with 14.8 seconds remaining.

The Nets then tied up Wade after the inbounds pass, forcing a jump ball they won. Jarrett Jack rattled in a runner with 5.2 seconds left to make it 86-84, but Bosh knocked down two free throws at the other end to collect the last of his 26 points and seal the win for Miami.

Johnson scored 19 points and Brook Lopez had 16 for the Nets. Mirza Teletovic managed 14 on 4-for-11 shooting from long range, followed by 13 out of Deron Williams and 12 from Mason Plumlee.

The Nets are still bringing Lopez and Williams, two former All-Stars with huge salaries, off the bench.

The Nets have won three straight over the Mavericks, but Dallas is 3-1 in its last four as the visitor in this series.