SAN ANTONIO — Making his first start of the season, Jason Terry got right into the flow of things.

Terry scored 29 points, Dirk Nowitzki added 30 points and the Dallas Mavericks beat San Antonio, 98-81, last night to send the Spurs to their first 0-3 record in 35 years.

"It was nice to be back out there and competing at a high level," said Terry, who shot 13-of-21 and had six assists. "With the guys we have out there, we've got a lineup that's been playing together for four or five years now. We know each other, and we play well with each other."

Dallas (2-2) also got 14 points from Josh Howard and 10 assists from Jason Kidd. The Mavericks shot 53 percent from the floor compared to 42 for San Antonio, and won the rebounding war, 48-38.

The Spurs are off to their worst start since opening the 1973-74 ABA season 0-4. It was their first season in San Antonio after playing in Dallas as the Chaparrals. The Spurs joined the NBA in 1976.

Tony Parker led San Antonio with 22 points and Tim Duncan scored 19 as the Spurs continue to play without Manu Ginobili. He's not expected back until December after surgery to repair his left ankle.

"Uncharted territory for us," Duncan said of the 0-3 start. "We've played some bad basketball so far, to say he least."

After trailing by seven at the end of the first quarter, the Spurs cut Dallas' lead to 30-27 on Parker's 20-foot jump shot with 8:34 before halftime.

But the Mavericks quickly shot out to a double-digit lead with two jumpers from Terry and a 3-pointer by Antoine Wright.

"Jet (Terry) really came out," Nowitzki said. "We definitely need his offense in our group. Whether he starts or is off the bench, we need his shooting and we need his scoring."

Leading 41-31 with 3:33 to go in the second quarter, the Mavericks finished the first half by hitting five of six shots. Nowitzki had three of them, including a 3-pointer, and Dallas led by 18.

"They came out with a lot of energy, they shot the ball well and executed," Spurs coach Gregg Popovich said. "We did the opposite, and that put us in the hole."

Dallas was 4-of-8 from the 3-point line in the half. San Antonio was 3-of-11.

Combined, Howard, Nowitzki and Terry scored 73 points on 33-of-56 shooting for the game.

It was just one night ago in Dallas that the Mavs lost by 19 to Cleveland. Nowitzki was 3-of-11 in that game.

"I think we didn't compete hard enough yesterday and got embarrassed in our building," Nowitzki said. "We had a long meeting this morning, and we just had to get back to playing hard on both ends of the floor. I think today we found a good rhythm."

CELTICS 103, ROCKETS 99

HOUSTON — Ray Allen scored 29 points, Kevin Garnett added 14 points and 11 rebounds and Kevin House hit two free throws with 9.6 seconds remaining to help Boston beat Houston.

Tracy McGrady scored 26 points for Houston, but it wasn't enough as Yao Ming went 4-for-14 from the field and scored eight points, while Ron Artest missed 13 of 16 shots and scored 15.

"We did not play well at all," Artest said. "Usually you can say you've got to give them credit. But there were things that we could've done better to pull out the victory."

SUNS 114, NETS 86

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. — Raja Bell hit all six of his 3-pointers and scored 22 points, Steve Nash added 12 points and 11 assists, and Phoenix shot 63 percent from the field in cruising past New Jersey.

"It's a tough call for any team when you have guys who can shoot the ball and fellas like Amare and Shaq in the post," Bell said. "You have to pick your poison. Some nights you pick, and what you pick works. Some nights everything is going and you can't do anything about it. I think tonight was just one of those nights we shot the skin off the ball. They were damned if they did and damned if they didn't."

Shaquille O'Neal had 18 points and six rebounds and Amare Stoudemire added 14 points as the Suns won for the third time in four games. Vince Carter had 19 points and Yi Jianlian added 15 and eight rebounds for the Nets, who lost their second straight game.

OVER AND BACK

Spurs: San Antonio forward Fabricio Oberto played for the first time this season, facing the Dallas Mavericks last night after missing the first two games with an irregular heartbeat. "The last couple of days they've been checking my heart rhythm and it's been great," Oberto said before the game.

Thunder: Oklahoma City signed 7-foot center Steven Hill yesterday to fill out its roster. Hill played in three preseason games for Portland and was among the Trail Blazers' final cuts. His signing comes a day after the Thunder waived guard John Lucas III.