DALLAS, April 28 (UPI) -- Caron Butler exploded for 35 points Tuesday and kept the Dallas Mavericks in the playoffs with a 103-81 thumping of the San Antonio Spurs.
The win prevented the Spurs from advancing to the next round and set the stage for Game 6 of the Western Conference quarterfinal series in San Antonio Thursday.
Butler, who also snagged 11 rebounds, was 12-of-24 from the field and hit all but one of his nine free throws. Dirk Nowitzki added 15 points as the Mavericks outscored the Spurs both on fast breaks and in the paint.
Tony Parker led San Antonio with 18 points off the bench, 17 of them in the first half. George Hill added 12 points for the Spurs, who shot only 35.9 percent from the field.
The Spurs kept it close in the first half but misfired in the second, failing to break 20 in either the third or fourth quarter. Dallas outscored San Antonio 29-18 in the third.
