NBA: Dallas 140, Phoenix 116

DALLAS, April 5 (UPI) -- Dirk Nowitzki scored 28 points and Jason Kidd had 19 points and 20 assists Sunday, leading the Dallas Mavericks to a 140-116 thrashing of the Phoenix Suns.

Kidd's assists raised his career total to 10,142. He passed Earvin "Magic" Johnson for third place on the NBA all-time assists list and trails only former Utah Jazz star John Stockton, who had 15,806, and Mark Jackson, who accumulated 10,334 while playing for seven teams.

Josh Howard added 24 points and Jason Terry had 18 for Dallas, which leads the Suns by four games for the eighth and final playoff spot in the Western Conference.

Leandro Barbosa totaled 24 points and Grant Hill had 23 for the Suns.