DALLAS (AP) -Dirk Nowitzki had one of the best scoring nights of his career, Jason Terry put up another 20-point game and the Dallas Mavericks shot better than 50 percent from the floor.

Despite those performances, the Mavericks still needed a late rally to fend off the struggling Oklahoma City Thunder.

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Nowitzki scored a season-high 46 points, Terry added 28 and Dallas won for the 11th time in 13 games, beating the Thunder 103-99 on Saturday.

``It was an ugly game,' said Nowitzki, who is averaging 32.7 points over his last six games. ``We let them get off early and that got their confidence up. We had to dig in deep down the stretch to win.'

Nowitzki, who was 17-of-30 from the floor, tied his career high for field goals made in a game. It was his ninth 40-point game and third-highest total of his career.

The 2007 MVP was seven points shy of tying his career high, which he set in 2004.

``It doesn't surprise me,' said Terry, who was 13-of-21 from the field and scored at least 20 for the eighth time in 11 games. ``Dirk does it all the time. He got into a rhythm and got into the paint. When he does that, it's going to be a big night.'

Oklahoma City (2-22) has the worst record in the NBA and dropped its sixth straight despite leading most of the game.

Jeff Green scored 25 points and Kevin Durant added 22, but none in the fourth quarter. Rookie Russell Westbrook chipped in with 19 points and eight rebounds.

The Thunder, who blew a 21-point lead in losing to Memphis on Wednesday, dropped to 1-11 on the road.

``It took their top two players to have monster games,' Thunder interim coach Scott Brooks said. ``Unfortunately they did. We're going to win some games. We still have to just continue to get better and learn.'

Terry scored to give the Dallas the lead for good, and Nowitzki followed with a 3-pointer that gave Dallas a 98-93 lead with 2:54 left. That was first time in the fourth that either team led by more than three.

The Thunder crept within 99-97. With a chance to tie, Green threw the ball away with 20 seconds left. Nowitzki and Jason Kidd each hit a pair of free throws in the final seconds to help Dallas improve to 5-1 on a seven-game homestand.

After losing their first four, the Mavericks have won seven of eight at home.

``This homestand was needed,' Kidd said. ``We've played pretty well here.'

Nowitzki, who had 35 points after three quarters, finished a 10-0 run with a jumper to give the Mavericks a 79-78 lead. Nick Collison's layup gave the Thunder a one-point lead after the third.

Durant scored nine points in a 13-5 surge that gave Oklahoma City a 74-65 lead. Durant hit a jumper to cap the run with 5:25 left in the third.

The Thunder franchise, which moved from Seattle in the offseason, has dropped 12 of its last 13 in Dallas.

``We played a solid basketball game,' said Oklahoma City reserve Desmond Mason, who had 12 points. ``You can't fault our effort.'

Green hit his first seven shots and scored 18 points in the first half as the Thunder led 54-50. Westbrook scored six points in an 8-0 run that gave the Thunder a 52-46 lead.

The Mavericks shot 55 percent in the first half and finished at nearly 51 percent. Terry hit seven shots in a row during one stretch and Nowitzki made six straight. Nowitzki had 20 points on 9-of-12 shooting and Terry added 16 in the first half.

``The basket just looked big,' Nowitzki said. ``I kept being aggressive and looking for my shot.'

Green was 6-of-6 and scored 14 points as the Thunder led 28-23 after one quarter.

Notes: Season ticket holders donated about 150 front-row seats to wounded soldiers from Brooke Army Medical Center in San Antonio. The Mavericks also gave 100 tickets to soldiers from Tinker Air Force Base, which is outside of Oklahoma City. ... Mavericks coach Rick Carlisle and Brooks were roommates for six games while playing for the Albany Patroons of the CBA in 1987. ... Durant had a career-high five steals.