NBA: Dallas 108, New Orleans 100

DALLAS, Feb. 28 (UPI) -- Dirk Nowitzki had 36 points, eight rebounds and seven assists Sunday to lead the Dallas Mavericks to a 108-100 win over New Orleans.

Caron Butler scored 19 and Jason Kidd had 13 points, nine rebounds and two steals for the Mavericks, who won their seventh straight game.

Kidd moved ahead of Maurice Cheeks to take over fourth place on the all-time steals list with 2,311.

Darren Collison scored a career-high 35 points and Marcus Thornton scored 21 for the Hornets, who have lost three of their last four.

Dallas held a 25-point lead midway through the third quarter but the Hornets got with four in the closing minutes of the fourth. The Mavericks held on until Nowitzki put them up 103-97 during the final minute of play.