HOUSTON, Jan. 22 (Ticker) -- The Dallas Mavericks suffered an embarrassing loss in their last visit to Houston. They made sure that it did not happen again.

Steve Nash scored 31 points and Dirk Nowitzki added 25 as the Mavericks defeated the Rockets, 113-107, stretching their winning streak to five games.

Dallas, which has won 18 of its last 21 overall, rebounded from a 124-87 drubbing here on November 17, its worst setback of the season.

Juwan Howard chipped in with 19 points and 13 rebounds for the Mavericks, while Adrian Griffin added 15 points.

NBA.comTV highlights from Mavericks-Rockets: 56k | 300k When the going got tough, Steve Nash (31 points and 10 assists), and the Mavericks got tougher. Bill Baptist NBAE/Getty Images

"Tonight we just used a balanced offense to get it done," Nash said. "Everyone was giving us something and that is important with the kind of team we are. Even with (Michael) Finley sitting, we feel like we can go out there and beat anyone."

The Mavericks continue to win without Finley, who is on the injured list with a left hamstring strain.

"This has been a tough building for us to win in, but we got it going early and had enough late to pull out the win," said Dallas assistant Donn Nelson, who has filled in as the Mavericks' coach for the past two games.

Dallas coach Don Nelson left the team earlier this week to be with his wife, Joy, who is facing breast cancer surgery.

The Rockets made a late run and closed to 101-100 with 2:43 remaining on a jumper by Cuttino Mobley, who scored 35 points. But Tim Hardaway answered with a 3-pointer that made it 104-100 with 1:53 left.

"Steve Nash really stood tall for them tonight," Mobley said. "Howard was steady and Hardaway hit that big shot at the end. That's how they are. They come at you from everywhere."

Hardaway scored just 10 points and hit only 2-of-9 shots, but his 3-pointer might have been the biggest basket of the game.

"I just came in the game looking to get open and when I did, they found me and I hit the three," Hardaway said. "Everyone in this league knows that when I'm open like that I'm going to take the shot.

Kelvin Cato made two free throws to pull the Rockets within 104-102 with 1:39 to go. But again Dallas responded from long range as Nash drilled a 3-pointer to give Dallas a 107-102 lead with 49 seconds to play.

After rookie Terence Morris missed a 3-pointer for the Rockets, Hardaway hit a pair from the line to make it 109-102 with 35 seconds left.

Houston did not go quietly as Mobley drilled a 3-pointer that made it 109-105 with 21 seconds left, but Nash converted a pair from the line less than a second later to put the contest out of reach.

"The Rockets got some confidence early and they were matching us with the big shots, but we hit the shots down the stretch and that really made a difference in this game," Nash said.

Nash and Nowitzki each scored 10 points in the fourth quarter, combining for 20 of the Mavericks' 29 points in the period.

"Steve and Dirk really took over late in the game and they continue to lead the way for us," Donn Nelson said. "I'm proud of everyone in our locker room."

Houston played without forward Kenny Thomas, who served the first of a three-game suspension for throwing multiple punches at Shareef Abdur-Rahim during a fight in Monday's game in Atlanta.

Steve Francis kept the Rockets close by scoring 16 of his 25 points in the second half.

"We had a lot of good looks and for most of the night, we were on," said rookie Eddie Griffin, who contributed 19 points for the Rockets. "In the end, theirs fell and ours didn't. That was the difference."

The offenses dominated the first quarter, which ended in a 34-34 tie. Dallas took control in the second period, outscoring the Rockets 32-20 to open a 66-54 lead at the intermission.

The Mavericks led by as many as 12 in the third period before the Rockets closed to 75-72 on Francis' two free throws with 4:11 remaining in the period. Johnny Newman hit two free throws with two-tenths of a second left to give Dallas an 84-77 lead entering the final quarter.

Nowitzki's dunk staked the Mavericks to a 94-85 lead with 7:25 remaining before the Houston made another run.