The plan worked all right during the Mavericks' victory in Game 1 on Saturday. It failed miserably Monday.

Parker scored 38 points, 27 in the first half, as the Spurs won 105-84 to even the series at 1-1.

The Spurs led by 25 in the third quarter after an 18-2 push.

Parker scored 24 in Game 1, but Dallas guard J.J. Barea limited him to three baskets in nine attempts during the second half. The Mavs won 105-97.

On Monday, Parker converted 16 of 22 shots and made eight assists.

"He was very aggressive going to the hole and shooting the jump shot," Spurs coach Gregg Popovich said.

"That always makes us a good team. He was very focused the whole game."

Parker's prodigious scoring was not surprising. He averaged 31.1 points this season against Dallas, nine more than his overall mark. Twice in four games he scored 37 against the Mavs.

His success Monday left other Spurs in complementary roles.

Tim Duncan produced 13 points, 11 rebounds and three blocks. Drew Gooden scored 13 points, and Roger Mason Jr. added 12.

There was a Matt Bonner sighting as well.

Bonner, who missed his only shot in Game 1, scored 11 Monday. He hit 3 of 4 three-point shots. Bonner also helped limit Dirk Nowitzki to 14 points on 3-for-14 accuracy.

Jason Terry led Dallas with 16 points, but he hit just 6 of 15 shots.

"We need to make sure we don't give anything easy to Nowitzki and Jason Terry," Parker said. "We came out with a lot of energy. Our defense was great tonight."

The Mavs shot 54 percent in Game 1 - 58.5 in the second half. They scored 60 points in the half.

San Antonio limited Dallas to 40.3 percent accuracy on Monday. The Spurs shot 53.2 percent.

San Antonio's defense for the series was designed to contain Nowitzki and Terry. That worked in Game 1, when the two combined for 31 points, 15 fewer than they averaged together.

But Josh Howard scored 25 Saturday, and the reserves Barea and Brandon Bass combined for 27.

Howard, Bass and Barea combined for 20 points on Monday.

The Spurs played aggressively the entire game. Parker scored 19 in the first quarter, staking the Spurs to a 30-19 lead.

He converted 9 of 11 shots in the period, burning the Mavs with darting layups and mid-range jump shots, the usual stuff.

Parker's free throw with 4:16 left in the half gave the Spurs a 21-point lead.

Then the Mavs showed some life, producing four three-point possessions during the final 3:31.

Erick Dampier started the rally with a layup and free throw after a turnover by the Spurs' Bruce Bowen. Kidd, who set a career mark for three-point shooting accuracy this season with 40.6 percent, made two treys in a row.

Terry added another three-pointer, and then a pair of free throws with one second left, as Dallas reduced that 21-point deficit to 11 at the half.

The Mavs cut the lead to nine points three minutes into the second half, but the Spurs responded with their 18-2 run.

mrosner@statesman.com; 445-3958