DALLAS — It took four years of heartbreak for Lionel Hollins to taste victory against the Dallas Mavericks.
In January 2009, he was an assistant for the Grizzlies with Brad Miller scoring 21 points and Derek Fisher dishing out seven assists as Memphis defeated Dallas 103-95.
Hollins was hired by the Nets on July 7, just a few months after the Mavericks fired him as coach, replacing him with Rick Carlisle. On Thursday night, Hollins got another chance to beat Dallas at the American Airlines Center.
The Nets beat the Mavericks, 100-89, in a preseason game and joined the Knicks as the only teams with consecutive preseason victories over Dallas, the NBA’s only five-time Western Conference champions.
“This is the team I was there for, watching that process of building this team with them,” Hollins said. “They’re the team that gave me the opportunity to get to this level. So it’s been great.
“Now, it’s like now we’re up, we’re going to get another chance, and this time, it’s going to be easier.”
Deron Williams had 12 points and 10 assists for the Nets, and Bojan Bogdanovic scored 15 and Joe Johnson 14. Shabazz Napier had 13 and Frank Mason added 11 for the Nets.
The Nets played all but a handful of regulars, and Dallas’ starters were largely quiet.
Mavericks coach Rick Carlisle, who said before the game he was giving his players the day off, gave his starters the night off. But when the rest of the Mavericks checked in, he had them go against the Nets reserves.
Tim Hardaway Jr. led Dallas with 14 points, and Wesley Matthews added 12.
Brooklyn led by 16 at halftime, then expanded its lead early in the third quarter, going ahead by 21 before Dallas made a few runs.
Starting with a dunk by Hedo Turkoglu and an 11-1 run that gave Dallas a 63-59 lead, the Nets kept the Mavericks off the scoreboard for almost 5 minutes before Harrison Barnes scored inside to get Dallas to 71-69.
Mavericks rookie J.J. Barea scored seven points, including a 3-pointer and a high-arcing runner over Mason that brought Dallas within two points.
When the Nets closed the third quarter with a 13-2 run, they were up 82-74 going into the fourth.
TIP-INS
Nets: Shaun Livingston, who has yet to play in the preseason, was still participating in informal workouts. He has yet to be cleared for full contact. … Hollins said Lin will sit out Friday night’s preseason finale at Houston, so the Nets will have only 11 players available for Friday’s season opener.
Mavericks: Devin Harris returned to Dallas and is expected to compete in a charity basketball game against the Mavs’ friends and family next Wednesday at the AAC.
UP NEXT
Nets: Open the regular season against Milwaukee at Barclays Center on Tuesday.
Mavericks: Begin the regular season at New Orleans on Wednesday.
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