Charlotte Bobcats forward Emeka Okafor (50) tries to pass out of a double team from Dallas Mavericks guard Jason Terry, left, and forward Juwan Howard during the first half of an NBA basketball game at the Charlotte Bobcats Arena in Charlotte, N.C. on Wednesday, Jan. 23, 2008. (AP Photo/Nell Redmond)

By Mike Cranston

Associated Press

CHARLOTTE — Dallas Mavericks coach Avery Johnson could never relax in his first game against Charlotte Bobcats coach Sam Vincent.

It was just as Johnson expected.

In their first matchup since Vincent left Johnson's staff to take his first NBA coaching job, the Mavericks nearly blew a 14-point fourth-quarter lead before pulling out a 102-95 win on Wednesday night.

"His team didn't quit tonight. We had a chance to put them away, but they fought back," Johnson said. "That's a tribute to his toughness and what he's instilled in these guys."

Devin Harris scored 23 points and Josh Howard had 21 points and 12 rebounds for the Mavericks, who were coming off their most lopsided loss of the season, an 18-point rout at Washington on Monday.

After racing to a 10-1 lead and seemingly in control in early in the fourth quarter, Vincent's Bobcats stormed back, only to run out of gas.

"Now I understand what some of my mentors go through," said Johnson, who met with Vincent Tuesday night. "It was difficult because you want him to be successful. Not tonight. We needed a win in the worst way."

Charlotte got within 90-87 on Emeka Okafor's layup with 2:38 left. Charlotte twice had the ball trailing by three, but couldn't convert before Harris and Dirk Nowitzki hit six straight free throws.

Nowitzki had 20 points and eight rebounds for the Mavericks, who improved to 7-0 all-time against Charlotte.

"The teams that we're used to getting wins from, they're not easy wins anymore," Howard said. "They're coming to play night in and night out."

Gerald Wallace had 22 points and 11 rebounds and played all 48 minutes despite being questionable going in with a strained left calf. Wallace said he wasn't at full strength, and it hampered him when he missed a jumper and a reverse layup with Charlotte trailing by three with less than 3 minutes left.

"I can live with it because I know my explosiveness wasn't there," Wallace said. "I didn't jump or attack the basket the way I wanted to."

Jason Richardson also scored 22 points and Okafor had 19 points and 10 rebounds for the Bobcats, who lost their second straight game.