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(Sports Network) - The seventh-seeded Dallas Mavericks try to even their first-round playoff series with No. 2 New Orleans at two games apiece, as the teams meet tonight at American Airlines Center.

The Hornets won Games 1 and 2 at home. On Friday, reigning MVP Dirk Nowitzki ended with 32 points, 19 rebounds and six assists to lift Dallas to a 97-87 win over New Orleans in Game 3 of their Western Conference quarterfinal series.

Jason Terry added 22 points for the Mavericks, while veteran point guard Jason Kidd chipped in eight points and 11 rebounds. Josh Howard, who admitted on a radio station earlier Friday of his offseason use of marijuana, contributed 19 points on just 5-of-16 shooting for Dallas.

Jannero Pargo scored a playoff career-best 30 off the bench for the Hornets, while MVP candidate Chris Paul struggled from the field on the way to 16 points. Paul, who also had 10 assists, made just 4-of-18 shots from the floor.

All-Star forward David West had 14 points and sharp-shooting Peja Stojakovic collected 13 points and 10 rebounds in defeat.

The Hornets have lost five straight playoff games on the road.

Game 5 is scheduled for Tuesday at New Orleans Arena.

The Mavericks have comeback to win playoff series after dropping the first two games of the set. They defeated Houston in seven, 4-3, in round one of the 2005 postseason and Utah in five games, 3-2, during the first round of the 2001 playoffs.

The Hornets have never lost a playoff series when they win the first two contests.

Dallas, which has won three straight playoff games at home, has lost three straight Game 4s in the postseason, while the Hornets are 5-6 all-time in Games 4s in the playoffs.

This is the first time the teams have met in the playoffs. During the regular season, the clubs split four contests as both clubs won a pair of games at home.

The Southwest Division-champion Hornets are back in the postseason for the first time since the 2003-04 campaign. They fell in seven games to the Miami Heat in the first round of the 2004 playoffs.

New Orleans moved to the Western Conference for the 2004-05 campaign. and is competing in the West playoffs for the first time in franchise history.

The last time the Hornets won a playoff series was in 2002 when they defeated the Orlando Magic, 3-1 in the opening round. They lost in five games, 4-1, in the next round to the New Jersey Nets.

The Hornets have never won a best-of-seven playoff series (0-6), and are 4-5 all-time in the opening round of the postseason.

The Mavericks are in the playoffs for the eighth straight year. They fell in six games last season in the opening round to the Golden State Warriors.