Mavs top Nets 91-79, Williams struggles against old team

DALLAS (AP) For Chandler Parsons, it was just another game in his recovery from offseason knee surgery. Same for Deron Williams when it came to facing his former team for the first time.

Parsons had 19 points and a season-high 10 rebounds while Williams struggled against his old teammates, and the Dallas Mavericks beat the Brooklyn Nets 91-79 Friday night.

Parsons led the Mavericks in scoring for the fifth time in six games and is averaging 24 points during that span. It's a strong step in his recovery from a procedure that has forced him to ease into his second season in Dallas. But he's not quite ready to say he's fully recovered.

''This whole process has been one day at a time for me,'' said Parsons, who was 8 of 15 from the field and is shooting 57 percent over the past seven games. ''Good game, bad game, hot streak, playing horrible. I just take it day by day, try not to look ahead.''

Williams, who sat out a visit to Brooklyn in December with a left hamstring strain, scored eight points on 3-of-14 shooting, although he finished with a game-high six assists after struggling to distribute the ball in the first half.

''I'm just happy we got a win,'' Williams said. ''That's all it's about right now.''

Brook Lopez had 28 points and 12 rebounds to lead the Nets, who had a four-game winning streak in Dallas snapped. Brooklyn is 3-12 in January with one game remaining in the month, which included the firing of coach Lionel Hollins.

Thaddeus Young also had a double-double for Brooklyn with 11 points and 10 rebounds.

''I've been in situations before, so I know how to stay positive,'' Young said. ''I know how to continue to play, and how to keep willing my team on. That's what I'm going to do.''

Dirk Nowitzki had 12 points, eight rebounds and a season-high four blocks, and the Mavericks built an 18-point lead in the first half and didn't let the Nets get closer than seven in the second half.

Dallas center Zaza Pachulia matched a career high with his 21st double-double in his return after missing three games with a sore right Achilles tendon.

The 13-year veteran from the republic of Georgia had 16 points and 12 rebounds, but his highlight might have been going to the floor for a loose ball and passing to Justin Anderson as he rolled over after Lopez blocked a driving layup by Parsons. Anderson found Parsons in the corner for a 3-pointer over Lopez.

''He's a walking double-double,'' Parsons said of Pachulia. ''It's definitely good to have him back and get our normal starting lineup again.''

Williams said after the morning shootaround that he wasn't planning to treat this game any differently, but betrayed his words once he was on the floor against the team that bought out his max contract after three disappointing, injury-plagued seasons.

The former Dallas-area high schooler seemed anxious in the first quarter, forcing shots and at times keeping the ball too long. Williams matched his season average for attempts in the first half, going 3 of 11 with eight points and two assists.

''I loved the way he just stayed aggressive throughout the game,'' Dallas coach Rick Carlisle said. ''His shooting numbers don't look great, but he made a couple of key hoops in our run in the second quarter and he battled on defense all night.''

UNEVEN BENCHES

The Brooklyn bench scored just two points - a jumper early in the fourth quarter by Andrea Bargnani - while all five starters finished in double figures. Joe Johnson and Donald Sloan scored 13 apiece. The Dallas reserves scored 34 points, led by J.J. Barea with 13 points and 3-of-3 shooting from long range.

''Our second unit, we're still trying to find a rhythm there,'' Nets interim coach Tony Brown said after the bench went 1 of 14 from the field. ''We seem to have turnovers, or we had shots but wouldn't take it.''

TIP-INS

Nets: Brown spent three seasons as an assistant under Rick Carlisle in Dallas before joining Brooklyn for the 2014-15 season. Brown was still an assistant for the Mavericks' visit to Brooklyn in December. Hollins was fired Jan. 10. ... Former Maverick Wayne Ellington scored 12 points.

Mavericks: Pachulia had 21 double-doubles with Atlanta in 2005-06. ... The Mavericks picked up just the second win by the home team in the past 10 games in the series. ... Dallas gave up its second-fewest points this season. The Mavericks beat Chicago 83-77 on Jan. 15.

UP NEXT:

Nets: At New Orleans on Saturday.

Mavericks: Host Phoenix on Sunday.