DALLAS - Dirk Nowitzki scored 31 points and the Dallas Mavericks clinched the eighth and final National Basketball Association playoff berth from the Western Conference by beating Utah 130-101 on Wednesday.

This will be the ninth season in a row the Mavericks have reached the playoffs but they still have unfinished business as they try to move out of the eighth seed position and a date with the assured top seed Los Angeles Lakers.

Dallas' victory eliminated the Phoenix Suns and set the post-season clubs in the West as the Lakers, Denver, Portland, Houston, San Antonio, New Orleans, Utah and Dallas.

The Mavericks are level with Utah at seventh at 47-31 with New Orelans at 48-30. Dallas and New Orleans meet twice this weekend.

Jason Terry added 21 points while Jose Juan Barea had 18 for the Mavericks.

Deron Williams led Utah with 18 points and 12 assists while Andrei Kirilenko added 17 and Ronnie Brewer 16 for the Jazz, who trailed 61-45 at half-time and were outscored in every quarter.