Rockets-Mavericks Preview

By KATE HEDLIN
Posted Apr 17 2012 5:22PM

Fatigue may be a concern for the Dallas Mavericks, who will play three games in the next four nights.

The slumping Houston Rockets have even bigger worries.

The Mavericks will try to avoid losing their third straight while the Rockets look to stop a four-game skid as the two playoff hopefuls face off Wednesday night at American Airlines Center.

With four games remaining, Dallas (34-28) is in seventh place in the Western Conference - 1 1/2 games ahead of Houston and Phoenix, which are tied for eighth, and two games up on 10th-place Utah.

The Mavericks have a tough final stretch of games, with three opponents in playoff contention - including road games against Chicago and Atlanta. However, they have won six in a row over the Rockets, including both meetings this season.

Dallas has made things a little harder on itself with back-to-back losses beyond regulation to the Los Angeles Lakers and Utah.

The Mavericks came back from a late 10-point deficit in regulation Monday against the Jazz, but fell 123-121 in triple overtime. Dirk Nowitzki scored 40 points, but none in the third overtime, missing three shots.

"The good thing about the overtimes is we knew they were going to kind of run out of gas," Utah's Al Jefferson said. "They are an older team, they played (Sunday). So we knew the shots were going to start falling a little short. I am surprised they lasted as long as they did."

The Mavericks came up short Monday after fading Sunday against the Lakers, shooting 38.5 percent in the fourth quarter and overtime of a 112-108 defeat. Dallas has lost three overtime games this month by a combined eight points.

Frustration may be setting in. Delonte West earned a technical foul in the second quarter Monday after fouling Gordon Hayward away from the ball then poking his index finger in Hayward's ear.

"We are two warriors, out here battling," said West, who may be facing a fine. "I forgot the NBA is a gentleman's game."

The Rockets (32-29) are trying to stave off a late-season collapse as they head into their final five games.

Houston, which trailed by at least 16 points in each of the first three losses during its slide, was swept in a crucial home-and-home series with Denver, losing 105-102 at home Monday.

Goran Dragic and Chandler Parsons scored 21 points each, but Parsons missed a desperation 3-pointer in the final seconds. The Rockets have been in a shooting slump over the past week, connecting on 39.5 percent of their shots the last four games.

"The guys are hurting right now," coach Kevin McHale said. "We'll regroup and we've got to go to Dallas and find a way. ... We were sitting good a few games ago and now we're not sitting so good."

The offensive struggles also seem to be impacting the Rockets' defense, with the team giving up an average of 105.3 points during the losing streak.

Houston will try to regroup as it heads on the road for its next two, playing the first of two remaining games against lowly New Orleans on Thursday. The Rockets face Golden State and Miami this weekend.

"We need to win three or four games out of these last five to have a really good shot at it," forward Luis Scola said. "With five (wins) I think we're going to be in the playoffs. But right now we can't think that way. We've just got to try to think about getting one."

Nowitzki scores 35, Mavericks beat Rockets 117-110

By STEPHEN HAWKINS
Posted Apr 19 2012 1:11AM

DALLAS (AP) Dirk Nowitzki should have been tired after playing 96 minutes in consecutive overtime losses.

Instead, Nowitzki was at his best late when the Dallas Mavericks needed him most.

"The first half I was a step slow. Then I got going. The guys kept us in it," Nowitzki said. "The second half, guys were looking for me. I got some good looks and got into the game."

Nowitzki scored 31 of his 35 points in the second half, and 21 in the fourth quarter Wednesday night when the Mavericks rallied for a 117-110 victory over the Houston Rockets, whose playoff hopes took another blow with their fifth consecutive loss.

Jason Terry put Dallas ahead to stay with a 3-pointer that made it 93-92 with 7:37 left.

By the time Nowitzki completed a three-point play 3 1/2 minutes later, the Mavs led 102-94. That wrapped up a 20-6 go-ahead run their 11-time All-Star forward started with consecutive 3-pointers. Then he made 10 free throws in a row over the final 2 1/2 minutes of the game.

"Dirk put the team on his back," Delonte West said. "It's not how you start, it's how you finish. Dirk was a prime example of that."

Two nights after playing 53 minutes and scoring 40 points in a triple-overtime loss at Utah, Nowitzki was only 2-of-7 shooting with four points in the first half against the Rockets. He made eight of 11 shots after that.

Houston matched its longest losing streak of the season, and slipped to ninth place in the Western Conference with Phoenix, a half-game behind Utah for the final playoff spot in the Western Conference with four games left.

"We could use some help," Chandler Parsons said. "We have to stay together, we can't get our heads down. As crazy as it sounds, it's not over yet."

Vince Carter added 23 points and Terry 19 for the defending NBA champion Mavericks, who can clinch a playoff berth with a win over Golden State in their regular-season home finale Friday night.

"This game was really pivotal in so many ways because it's a double-count game on the whole magic number thing, and it effectively takes one team out of it, which is big," Mavericks coach Rick Carlisle said.

Goran Dragic had 20 points to lead seven Rockets in double-figure scoring. Dragic also had 10 assists, and Marcus Camby had a double-double with 11 points and 17 rebounds after missing the previous game because of his back. Luis Scola had 18 points for Houston, Courtney Lee 16, Chase Budinger 14, and Parsons 12.

Jason Kidd has 12 points on four 3s for Dallas while West had 11 points after finding out earlier Wednesday he had been fined $25,000 by the NBA for jabbing his finger in the ear of Utah swingman Gordon Haywood in Monday night's game.

Houston was up 71-62, its largest lead, when Scola made a short bank shot midway through the third quarter to wrap up an 11-0 run.

The Rockets still led by eight after Scola made two free throws in the closing seconds of the third. But when Carter missed a 3-pointer, Brandan Wright grabbed the rebound and beat the buzzer with a 10-foot jumper.

Budinger's pull-up jumper with 10 minutes remaining had Houston up 88-82 before Nowitzki hit the first of his consecutive 3s.

"Dirk got on fire and got to the line a lot in the fourth," Rockets coach Kevin McHale said. "They executed better than we did in the fourth and we couldn't get stops."

After Terry's go-ahead 3, Carter followed with a 3 of his own at the 7-minute mark.

Soon after that Terry was fouled and went hard to the ground while driving for a dunk attempt. After staying down for several minutes and Carlisle calling timeout, Terry got up and walked away smiling and urging the crowd they get loud.

After the Friday home finale, the Mavericks close the regular season at Chicago and Atlanta.

Houston, trying to get back into the last playoff spot, plays at New Orleans on Thursday. The Rockets have home games left against Golden State and the Hornets with a trip to Miami in between.

Phoenix lost to Oklahoma City later Wednesday night, but owns the tiebreaker against Houston since the Suns won two of three this season, including a 112-105 victory at Houston last Friday. Utah beat Portland to move into eighth place.

"We still believe in our chances," Dragic said. "Ten days ago, we were really confident, but we've been playing bad. Four games left, win those, we have a chance."

NOTES: Kidd made three 3s in a 90-second span late in the first half before Scola made two free throws for a 55-all halftime tie. ... The game was tied 27-all after the first quarter, when Carter scored the last 10 Mavericks points including consecutive slam dunks in a 20-second span. ... Terry broke a tie with Chauncey Billups (1,783) for No. 4 on the NBA career 3-pointers list with his first one Wednesday night. He had three pushing his total to 1,786. At No. 3 on the list is Kidd, who has 1,874 after his latest four.

Notebook: Mavericks 117, Rockets 110

Posted Wednesday April 18, 2012 11:58PM

By Dave Ivey, for NBA.com

THE FACTS: Dirk Nowitzki scored 21 of his 35 points in the fourth quarter Wednesday, rallying the Dallas Mavericks to a 117-110 victory against the reeling Houston Rockets at the American Airlines Center. Dallas (35-28) completed a three-game sweep of the season series and handed Houston (32-30) its fifth consecutive loss.

Vince Carter scored a season-high 23 points, Jason Terry added 19 and Jason Kidd tallied 12 points and eight assists for the defending champions, who can clinch a return to the playoffs with a victory at home Friday against Golden State. Seven players scored in double figures for the Rockets, led by Goran Dragic with 20 points and 10 assists, Luis Scola with 18 points and Marcus Camby with 11 points and a game-high 17 rebounds.

QUOTABLE: "We really needed the win and our guys weren't going to let it go."
-- Mavericks head coach Rick Carlisle.

THE STAT: All four of Kidd's made baskets were from 3-point range (4-for-7). So far this season, 79 of his 99 field goals have come from behind the arc.

TURNING POINT: Entering the game, Dallas was 3-24 when trailing after three quarters and Houston was 27-4 when it held the lead going into the fourth. This time, however, the Mavericks showed the finishing form that carried them to the title last season. They overwhelmed Houston with 39 points on 65 percent shooting (11-for-17) in the fourth quarter.

QUOTABLE II: "It's tough now. We basically have to win out. We do have to win out. ... Now it's to the point where we are going to need some help. We've got handle our business first, though. ... We have to stay together. We can't start hanging our heads now, because as crazy as it sounds, it's not over yet."
-- Rockets forward Chandler Parsons.

HOT: Streaky shooting was contagious for Dallas. In addition to Nowitzki's 21-point fourth period, Carter scored the Mavericks' final 10 points of the first quarter, Terry scored 12 of their first 14 in the second quarter and Kidd drained three consecutive 3-pointers to close out the first half.

NOT: After winning four straight games -- all on the road -- from April 2-9, the Rockets have dropped five in a row while allowing an average of 107.6 points per game. Houston is in a dogfight for the final playoff spot in the West with Phoenix and Utah.

GOOD MOVE: Carter capped another vintage "Vinsanity" performance with an emphatic, two-handed putback slam with 5:31 remaining.

FANTASY SPOTLIGHT: Nowitzki scored 31 in the second half, three shy of his own franchise record for a half set against Utah on Nov. 3, 2009. His back-to-back 3-pointers sparked a decisive 20-6 run in the fourth and he finished 10-for-18 from the field and 12-for-12 from the line (11-for-11 in the fourth quarter). It was his eighth 30-point game of the season.

INSIDE THE ARENA: Technical difficulties with the sound system delayed the start of the game for several minutes. There was another audio outage during the second quarter.

ROOKIE WATCH: Parsons scored 12 points on 4-for-13 shooting and added four rebounds and four assists.

NOTABLE: Dallas guard Delonte West was fined $25,000 by the NBA for poking Utah forward Gordon Hayward in the ear Monday night. ... Terry drained his 1,784th career 3-pointer at the 11:22 mark of the second quarter, passing Chauncey Billups for fourth place on the NBA's all-time list. ... The Mavericks have had at least five players score in double figures in eight straight games. ... Carter needs one 3-pointer to reach 1,500 for his career. ... There were eight ties and 14 lead changes.

UP NEXT: For the Mavericks, Friday vs. Golden State, Saturday @ Chicago, April 26 @ Atlanta. For the Rockets, Thursday @ New Orleans, Saturday vs. Golden State, Sunday @ Miami.

• Rockets: Fortson, Simpson, Smith
• Mavericks: Azubuike, Odom

• Rockets: --
• Mavericks: --

• Lead Changes: 14
• Times Tied: 8

• Arena: American Airlines Center, Dallas, TX
• Officials: #41 Ken Mauer, #59 Gary Zielinski, #77 Karl Lane
• Attendance: 20508
• Duration: 2:14