Greg Buckner scored 19 points and Josh Howard added 15 points a few hours after signing a four-year, US$40 million contract extension to send the Dallas Mavericks to their first pre-season victory, 88-71 over the Milwaukee Bucks on Thursday night.

Buckner went 6-for-8 from the field and Howard converted his first five field goal attempts for the Mavericks (1-4).

Dallas' Dirk Nowitzki had eight points, nine rebounds, four assists and two blocked shots in his first game of the preseason.

Michael Redd had 14 points to lead the Bucks (2-3), who shot 34 per cent from the field, including 3-for-21 from three-point range.

Jason Terry, Jerry Stackhouse and Erick Dampier of Dallas all missed the game with minor injuries.

Devin Harris, who had been out with a hamstring injury over the same span, played for the first time in the pre-season and had 12 points, while Devean George added 10.

Howard had 13 points in the first quarter. Nowitzki also made an early impact, contributing seven points, four rebounds and two assists as the Mavericks took a 34-20 lead into the second quarter.

Buckner had 14 points and Howard 13 as Dallas took a 52-43 halftime lead.

The Mavericks closed the third quarter with 15 straight points and outscored the Bucks 22-4 in the quarter to take a 74-47 lead, their largest of the game.

Centre Andrew Bogut remains out for the Bucks due to a lower left
leg sprain.