DALLAS (AP) -- Dirk Nowitzki had 28 points and 13 rebounds, Jason Kidd added 12 points and 18 assists, and the Dallas Mavericks beat the Charlotte Bobcats 101-86 on Wednesday night in the opener for both teams.
Jason Terry added 22 points and Caron Butler scored 13 for Dallas.
Tyrus Thomas' 22 points and Gerald Wallace's 16 paced the Bobcats, who've never beaten the Mavericks in 13 meetings.
Dallas expanded a four-point halftime lead to 72-55 with a 21-10 spurt to open the third quarter led by Nowitzki's 14 points on 6 of 7 shooting.
The Mavericks were ahead by 19 in the third quarter and carried an 80-67 advantage into the final quarter.
