DALLAS -- The Milwaukee Bucks were game Wednesday night, but couldn't overcome the loss of three starters.

Already without top scorer Michael Redd, who missed his sixth consecutive game with a strained left knee, and forward Yi Jianlian (strained right shoulder) for the second straight game, small forward Bobby Simmons (bruised left leg) did not play in a 107-96 loss to the Dallas Mavericks.

It also didn't help that Dallas' Dirk Nowitzki had 29 points, 10 rebounds and 12 assists for his first career triple-double.

"We had nine people, what can you say?" said Bucks guard Mo Williams, whose 36 points were two short of his career record. "We battled. It was a great effort. A play here or there determined the outcome, but that's how the road treats you sometimes."

Milwaukee was in front 77-75 with 10 minutes, 21 left on a Charlie Villaneuva basket. Jason Terry nailed a 3-pointer and fed Devean George for a layup with 9:31 left to give Dallas an 80-77 lead.

Terry's 3-pointer sparked a 12-3 run that gave the Mavericks an 87-80 lead, but the Bucks rallied to tie it at 91 on Charlie Bell's 3-pointer with 2:39 left.

Dunks by Brandon Bass and Terry extended the Mavericks' lead to 95-91 with 1:48 to play. Back-to-back baskets by Nowitzki on Dallas' next two possessions pushed the advantage to 99-91, closing out the Bucks.

Williams, who hit 10 of 16 first-half shots, scored Milwaukee's final 14 points before halftime, including a 36-foot banked 3-pointer at the buzzer to narrow Dallas' lead to 53-49 at halftime. Williams had 28 points at halftime.

"It was a tremendous effort," Bucks coach Larry Krystkowiak said of Williams. "The rim must have looked awfully big for him in the first half. He's been playing with confidence. He kept us in the game."

Andrew Bogut had 24 points and 14 rebounds, and Villaneuva added 16 points for the Bucks, who lost for the fourth time in five games and fell to 6-23 on the road.