Dirk Nowitzki's running layup with 3.6 seconds remaining lifted the Dallas Mavericks to a stunning 95-93 win over the host Miami Heat in Game 2 of the NBA Finals on Thursday.

With the game tied and Dallas holding for the final possession of regulation, Nowitzki blew past Chris Bosh and laid the ball in with his left hand - the same one he injured in Game 1, forcing him to wear a sling.

Miami had one final chance to win the game, but Dwyane Wade's long 3-point attempt hit the back of the rim and bounced harmlessly away as the Mavericks orchestrated one of the wildest comebacks in NBA Finals history. Dallas trailed by 15 midway through the fourth quarter but closed the game on a 22-5 run to even the best-of-seven series at a game apiece.

Game 3 goes Sunday in Dallas.

Nowitzki finished with a team-high 24 points, including the go-ahead 3-pointer with 26.7 seconds remaining that sent the American Airlines Arena crowd into shocked silence. Miami's Mario Chalmers responded with a wide-open 3-pointer less than three seconds later to set the stage for Nowitzki's late heroics.

Wade paced the Heat with 36 points while LeBron James added 20 in defeat. The two combined to shot 21 for 35 from the field but missed four 3-point attempts in the final 90 seconds to throw away what looked like a sure victory.

After closing out the second half on a 9-0 run to send the game into the break tied 51-51, the Heat set the tone early in the third quarter on a thunderous two-handed dunk by James on a pass from Wade. Dallas turned the ball over three times in the opening 2 1/2 minutes of the quarter, and Miami scored each time to carve out a five-point lead.

A Mike Bibby 3-pointer from the right corner with 3:44 remaining gave the Heat an eight-point edge, and James added another emphatic dunk on Miami's final possession of the quarter as Miami enjoyed a 75-71 advantage entering the fourth.

It was Bosh's turn to shine at the eight-minute mark of the final quarter, hammering home a putback slam on a Chalmers miss to extend the lead to double digits. Wade then followed another Dallas turnover with a 3-pointer from the right corner that capped a 13-0 run.

Jason Terry caught fire after that, scoring eight points during a 15-2 Mavericks stretch that sliced the deficit to 90-88. After James missed a pair of long 3-point attempts late in the shot clock, Nowitzki converted the tying layup with 57.6 seconds left.