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Rockets defeat Mavericks 124-114
(Agencies)
Updated: 2005-01-13 14:42

Tracy McGrady hurt a toe early, so he stayed outside and scored most of his 30 points on 3-pointers and matched his season high with 11 assists, helping the Houston Rockets end the Dallas Mavericks' six-game winning streak with a 124-114 victory Wednesday night.

McGrady, who scored 48 in his last game in Dallas, left for several minutes in the second quarter to have his left big toe bandaged. It didn't hurt his aim any as he finished 6-of-8 on 3s and the Rockets scored their most points of the season for the second straight game.

Dallas finished 5-1 on its homestand and heads into a 15-day stretch of nine games against mostly quality foes that starts Friday night in San Antonio.

The Mavs had won their last six games by at least 14 points, so this was the first time since before Christmas that they had to work hard in the second half. But they couldn't keep up with Houston's offense, which was stunning considering Dallas averaged 114.3 points in its previous seven games.

While the Mavericks still got there, it came too late. The Rockets were up by nine after three quarters and stretched the lead to 15 midway through the fourth.


Houston Rockets' Yao Ming, right, tries to get by the defense of Dallas Mavericks' Erick Dampier (25) in the first half, Wednesday, Jan. 12, 2005, in Dallas. [AP]
Houston is suddenly starting to put up the numbers expected from a McGrady team. The Rockets scored 116 in a win over Denver on Sunday night and are averaging 104.9 over the last 13 after putting up just 86.9 in their first 22 games. They are 8-5 since the scoring outburst began.

Dallas' top defender, Josh Howard, was out with an upper respiratory infection, and McGrady took advantage in every way. In addition to making 12 of 19 shots, the attention he commanded freed Juwan Howard to go 14-of-19 for a season-high 29 points. David Wesley scored 21 and Yao Ming 20, half from the foul line.

Dirk Nowitzki led the Mavericks with 28 points, but 11 came in the first quarter. He had an 18-minute scoreless drought over the middle two periods.

Michael Finley, coming off a season-best 33 points, missed nine of his first 10 shots. He finished with 14, but only because of three baskets long after the outcome was settled. Shawn Bradley had a season-high 12, all but two in the first half.

The Mavs were in control early in the second half, then Rockets coach Jeff Van Gundy called timeout to stir his lethargic club. Houston responded with an 11-2 run that featured McGrady's 3-pointer, a steal and breakaway layup by Wesley, a dunk by Yao off a sweet drive and dish by McGrady and a thunderous slam by McGrady off a lob pass from Wesley over three flat-footed Mavs.

Dallas came back with a 3-pointer by Jason Terry to tie it at 72, but it didn't last.

Houston was up only 82-78 when the Mavericks gambled on defense, sending two 7-footers at McGrady behind the 3-point line to force him to give up the ball. No problem; he had assists on the next five Rockets baskets, then closed the quarter with a 3-pointer that sent Wesley away with a huge smile and Jon Barry skipping back across midcourt. Barry and Wesley weren't with the Rockets last month, when the Mavs beat them by 24.

Houston was on all night, making 72 percent of its shots in the first quarter and 70 percent in the third. The Rockets finished at 61 percent. With all those makes, Dallas had just four rebounds in the first and third quarters.



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