Rockets at Mavericks
The Dallas Mavericks are winners of four of their last five games and are beginning to put a little defense together with the Monta Ellis-Dirk Nowitzki tandem on offense. The Mavericks are going to need all the defense they can muster on Wednesday, when the Houston Rockets come for a visit. The Rockets put up 40 points in the first quarter alone in a 109-85 triumph over the Boston Celtics on Tuesday and are averaging 113.4 over their last five games.
Dallas is 5-0 at home after edging the Philadelphia 76ers on Monday and is enjoying a stretch of five of six games in its own building. The Rockets, who claimed a 113-105 win over the Mavericks at home on Nov. 1, are 3-2 on the road but have lost their last six trips to Dallas. Houston looked like the most efficient offense in the league on Tuesday, shooting 72.2 percent in the first half against the Celtics and putting six scorers in double figures in the easy win.
TV: 9:30 p.m. ET, ESPN, CSN Houston, FSN Southwest (Dallas)
ABOUT THE ROCKETS (8-4): Terrence Jones scored a career-high 24 points on 10-of-12 shooting in Tuesday’s win and is playing well in expanded minutes alongside Dwight Howard as Houston’s power forward. The 21-year-old from Kentucky is averaging 10 rebounds over the last five games since taking over Omer Asik’s vacated minutes. “(Jones) has played well every chance he’s gotten,” coach Kevin McHale said. “He’s been big rebounding for us, he’s been running well for us, he’s got really good hands, he catches and finishes around the basket. ... Terrence does a lot of really good things for us and he’s just going to get better.”
ABOUT THE MAVERICKS (7-4): Dallas’ offense is being driven by Ellis, whose presence has taken some of the pressure off Nowitzki. “We’ve got so many guys that can score, and my main thing is attack and make plays for not only myself but for others,” Ellis said. “We’ve got so many scorers and shooters on this team that the spacing is so wide open it makes the game much easier for me.” Ellis has some help at the top of the offense now with rookie Shane Larkin back. The first-round pick made his season debut on Monday after recovering from ankle surgery.
BUZZER BEATERS
1. Asik returned after a two-game absence and collected four points and four rebounds in seven minutes off the bench on Tuesday.
2. Mavericks C Samuel Dalembert grabbed a season-high 14 rebounds on Monday.
3. Houston G James Harden attempted a season-low two free throws in the easy win over the Celtics. He went 8-of-9 from the line in the Nov. 1 meeting with Dallas.