Mavericks Gallop Past Rockets 96-83

Posted by Jeff Sack under Main

Josh Howard scored 23 points and the Dallas Mavericks defeated the Houston Rockets for the sixth straight time Saturday 96-83. Dallas shot 50.7% from the floor for the game making 36-71 attempts, and shot 7-15 from outside the arc. It was the Mavericks tenth win out of the last eleven games played by the two teams from the Lone Star State.

The first half was a tight well played game by both teams as there were 7 ties, and 14 lead changes. Dallas led at the end of the first quarter 25-21, and Houston had the lead at the half 41-38. Dallas got hot near the end of the third quarter and stayed that way into the fourth as they went on a 26-9 blitzkrieg, and the Rockets could not recover.

Howard was one of five Dallas players in double figures, as he shot 9-18 from the field, 1-3 from outside the arc, and went 4-5 from the line, 5 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 steal, 1 blocked shot. Dallas forward Dirk Nowitzki scored 20 points, 8 assists,?6 rebounds, 1 steal. “Old Reliable” Jerry Stackhouse came off the bench scoring 17 points, 3 boards, 2 steals, 1 assist, Devin Harris scored 14 points, 7 assists, 5 steals, 2 rebounds. Jason Terry scored 10 points, 2 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 steal.

Houston center Yao Ming had a double-double scoring a game high 28 points, 14 rebounds, 3 blocked shots, 3 assists, 1 steal. Yao shot 10-18 from the floor, and was a perfect 8-8 from the charity stripe. Tracy McGrady scored 12 points, 5 rebounds, 3 assists, 1 blocked shot, Shane Battier scored 11 points, 4 boards, 2 assists. Dallas is now 16-9, while the Rockets are 12-12.

Updates, Fresh From the Oven, Straight to Your Inbox