In supporting role, Mavs' Ellis stars

— -- DALLAS -- It was an innocent question, really, about Monta Ellis finding his niche on the Dallas Mavericks while earning the trust of Dirk Nowitzki, Rick Carlisle and Mark Cuban.

Ellis didn't even hear the end of the question before interrupting.

"This is still Dirk's team," he said emphatically.

No doubt.

But in the fourth quarter Friday night at American Airlines Center, it was Ellis -- not Nowitzki -- with the ball in his hands at the game's crucial moments. And it was Ellis relentlessly attacking the basket.

And it was Ellis with a game-high 29 points, tying his playoff career high, as the Mavs forced Game 7 in this Western Conference quarterfinal series.