The Dallas Mavericks played half a game Wednesday night.

They will get credit for a whole win, even if it wasn't a thing of beauty.

To break their three-game losing streak, they followed a proven formula. They tweaked the starting lineup. They made sure they got off to a rare, rapid start. They played with passion – for a while.

Mostly, they were facing the Minnesota Timberwolves, who dragged a 2-10 record into American Airlines Center.

Even then, it was a struggle.

Reverting to the starting lineup that served them so well during the last few regular seasons – if not in the playoffs – the Mavericks rolled up a nice first-half lead, stretched it to 20, then held on for a 109-103 victory.

"We got the win," Jason Terry said. "It was an ugly one. But we got it. That's what matters."

At this point, he's right. But the second half was clear evidence that the problems the Mavericks have will not be magically erased with a lineup change. Terry started in the backcourt with Devin Harris, and Erick Dampier, free from any minutes restrictions on his rebuilt right shoulder, was in at center.

Avery Johnson emphasized that this is not the end of Terry's sixth-man role. It's merely a temporary change.

"That first half kind of looked like old times," Johnson said. "Jet and Devin were pushing the ball, but we left it in the locker room in the third quarter."

And Terry's future remains as a sixth man. At least, that's the game plan.

"We want to get back to it," Johnson said. "But in the short term, none of our other solutions worked. So we had to go back with our normal five. We still think to win a championship you've got to be bigger at the two spot, especially against some of the teams we have to beat. But over the next 10 days or two weeks, we've just got to go back to our familiar lineup."

During that time, Eddie Jones, Devean George and Trenton Hassell will get time to improve their conditioning and get healthy.

And Terry and Harris will start.

"Hopefully we won't have to use it the rest of the season, because then we'll get back in the same situation we were in last season," Johnson said, referencing a fatigued team in the playoffs. "That's why it's important for Eddie Jones and Devean George to get in top-notch condition."

Johnson was adamant earlier in the day that the Mavericks are not good enough right now to take any team for granted, so they focused just long enough to keep the Timberwolves under wraps. Coming off a win Monday in New Orleans, the Wolves looked in the first half like they'd reached their quota for the week.

The Mavericks raced up by 15 in the second quarter and were up by 20 midway through the third quarter.

JOHN F. RHODES / DMN

Dallas Mavericks center DeSagana Diop (left) battles for the ball with Minnesota's Craig Smith.

That's when they hit the wall. But the youthful Wolves didn't have enough artillery to make up the difference, although they got as close as 86-83 in the fourth quarter.

Dirk Nowitzki, who had 27 points and 11 rebounds, scored eight of his points in the final 5:41, and Harris, who hit nine of 10 shots for the night, converted two late buckets to protect the lead.

Harris and Terry were on the court together most of the night. And familiarity finally bred a victory.

"It gives us more options, not taking anything away from guys that were starting before this change," Josh Howard said. "But these guys have been starting together for the past three years. I guess guys are comfortable."

Dampier – like Terry, in the starting lineup for the first time this season – had 10 rebounds to go with eight points. Sent to the bench was DeSagana Diop, whom Johnson said may be "thinking too much" at this point in the season. Diop played less than 10 minutes and only one minute after halftime.