Mavericks at Rockets
The Houston Rockets are hoping the Dallas Maverick wore themselves out on Friday night. The Mavericks, who put up 140 points in a win over the Los Angeles Lakers, will play the second night of a back-to-back when they visit the Rockets on Saturday. Houston is not so hot offensively at the moment with Dwight Howard and Terrence Jones ailing and has dropped two straight games for the first time this season.
Chandler Parsons is making his first trip back to Houston after jumping to Dallas as a restricted free agent over the summer, and he is coming off a 21-point performance in Friday’s demolition while averaging 16.3 in the last three games. The Mavericks are winners of six straight and lead the NBA in scoring at an average of 111.3 points after going off on the Lakers. The Rockets could not even manage 95 against that same Lakers team in a 98-92 setback on Thursday and are putting up just 85.5 in their last four contests.
TV: 8 p.m. ET, NBATV, FSN Southwest (Dallas), ROOT Southwest (Houston)
ABOUT THE MAVERICKS (10-3): Dallas’ outburst on Friday marked its highest scoring performance since a 140-116 win over Phoenix in 2009 and the starting five combined to go 28-of-42 from the floor while J.J. Barea buried all five of his 3-point attempts in leading four reserves in double figures. Parsons credited the team’s ball movement, which resulted in 37 assists on 51 made field goals. Monta Ellis had 10 of those assists and is averaging 22.5 points during the winning streak.
ABOUT THE ROCKETS (9-3): Howard had a platelet-rich plasma injection in his right knee on Thursday but was not able to practice Friday and is questionable for Saturday. “We have to adjust how we play with our pace, our execution, our screening, our movement,” Houston coach Kevin McHale told reporters. “That’s with or without Dwight.” The Rockets replaced Parsons at the starting small forward spot with Trevor Ariza, who is 16-of-48 from the field over the last four games.
BUZZER BEATERS
1. The teams split four meetings last season, with each winning once on the road.
2. Houston G James Harden averaged 28.5 points on 54.8 percent shooting in two games against the Mavericks last season.
3. Dallas G Devin Harris (leg) has missed the last three games and remains day-to-day.