Vince Carter of the Dallas Mavericks shoots the game-winning three-pointer against the San Antonio Spurs during Game Three of their Western Conference Quarter-finals in Dallas on Saturday.

DPA/Los Angeles


There was a lot riding on Vince Carter’s last-second shot: the outcome of a playoff game, the series lead and homecourt advantage. That didn’t seem to bother him.
Carter buried a three-pointer at the buzzer Saturday to give the host Dallas Mavericks a stunning 109-108 victory over the top-seeded San Antonio Spurs and a 2-1 lead in their Western Conference first-round series.
Carter’s shot capped a thrilling finish and touched off a madcap celebration at the sold-out American Airlines Center. He was mobbed on the court by his teammates and owner Mark Cuban.
“I don’t mind taking the game-winning shot,” said Carter, who scored 11 points. “I don’t mind missing them, and dealing with it. So I think having that mentality helps me.”
Once a high-flying superstar with the Toronto Raptors known as “Air Canada,” the 37-year-old Carter has settled nicely into a reserve role with the Mavericks, where his experience and long-range shooting are assets.
“Vince really deserves it,” Mavs coach Rick Carlisle said. “He’s been so good for us and he’s been about so many of the right things. You always hope that a guy like this can have a moment like this in a big playoff game.”
Carter upstaged Argentina’s Manu Ginobili, who had given the Spurs a 108-106 lead with a driving layup with 1.7 seconds left. After a timeout, Spain’s Jose Calderon zipped a pass to Carter in the left corner. He faked to allow Ginobili to fly by, then drilled his shot as the horn sounded.
“It was going to have to be a quick shot,” Carlisle said. “Any pump fake was going to have to be quick. It was a great catch and Jose did a great job of getting him the ball because Ginobili was denying it.”
“There was no breakdown or anything like that,” Spurs coach Gregg Popovich said. “Manu was right there and he did everything he could.  Vince knocked it down.”
The Mavericks blew a 10-point lead in the series opener and lost, their 10th straight setback to the Spurs. But they have turned the tables with consecutive wins and have San Antonio facing a virtual must-win situation in Game 4 at Dallas today.
“They are playing great,” admitted Spurs guard and France native Tony Parker, who scored 19 points. “They are shooting the ball very well, and they are very aggressive.”
San Antonio opened a 100-95 lead on a bucket by France’s Boris Diaw with 2:12 to play. But German juggernaut Dirk Nowitzki made two free throws and Monta Ellis drained a jumper to make it a one-point game.
“It was not looking good with two minutes to go down five but the guys hung in,” Carlisle said.
A three-point shot by Ellis tied it at 102-102 with 1:09 remaining.  Diaw made a jumper, but Ellis threw in a floater over Duncan to make it 106-106 with 24 seconds left.
Ellis scored 29 points, Nowitzki added 18 and Calderon had 16 and nine assists for the Mavericks, who are trying to become just the fifth No. 8 seed to upset a top seed in a first-round series. Duncan scored 22 points and Kawhi Leonard had 17 for the Spurs, who as a top seed were beaten by Memphis in the first round in 2012.
Indiana Pacers 91, Atlanta Hawks 88
Paul George scored 24 points, David West added 18 and both made clutch three-pointers down the stretch for the top-seeded Pacers, who reclaimed homecourt advantage and tied their Eastern Conference series at two games apiece.
Paul Millsap scored 29 points for the eighth-seeded Hawks, who had a five-point lead with under five minutes to play but went without a basket the rest of the way. Game 5 is Monday at Indiana.
Oklahoma City Thunder 92, Memphis Grizzlies 89 (OT): Reggie Jackson scored 13 of his playoff career-high 32 points in the final six minutes as the second-seeded Thunder fought off a furious rally by the seventh-seeded Grizzlies for a road win that evened their West series at two games each.
 The Thunder survived rough nights from stars Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook, who shot a combined 11-of-45. Spain’s Marc Gasol had 23 points and 11 rebounds for Memphis, which had won the previous two games in overtime but hit the road for Game 5 tomorrow.
Miami Heat 98, Charlotte Bobcats 85
 LeBron James had 30 points and 10 rebounds for the second-seeded Heat, who cruised to a road win and opened a commanding 3-0 lead in their East series. Miami is 18-0 vs.  Charlotte since signing James in 2010.
 Al Jefferson scored 20 points for the seventh-seeded Bobcats, who will try to avert the sweep at home today.