After the first quarter of play, leading 27-19, it seemed as if the Rockets would collect its eighth straight victory the easy route. But the second quarter watched the Mavericks make the best of its shots, down by two, 57-55 going into intermission.
Needless to say, in the third quarter, Houston found the space it needed, up 87-75 and went on to beat Dallas, 104-97 on Sunday night at the Toyota Center.
The win represents the Rockets eighth straight victory and 12-out-of its last 13.
Rockets remembered that hard-fought second quarter going into halftime. It made the necessary adjustments in the third quarter as Gordon and Paul combined for six points to close out the quarter, leading, 87-75.
Harden led four Rockets (42-13) with 27 points, six rebounds, Chris Paul added 25 with nine assists, Capela chipped in 16, 11 rebounds and Green scored 12.
Capela, Paul, and Harden scored five consecutive points to give the Rockets some breathing room as it led, 65-58 moments into the third quarter.
After, Dennis Smith, Jr., Barnes and Powell converted baskets to pull Dallas within five points, 74-65 with 7:20 left in the third quarter.
Capela missed four consecutive free throws to help Dallas cause for a moment. But the Rockets kept the heat on answering every basket the Mavericks scored.
With Capela and Nene Hilario operating in the paint, Harden, Gordon, and Green bombed away from the three-point line.
When Paul wasn’t using his shooting hand, his vision and excellent passing were just as compelling. One such pass to Anderson set up a highlight dunk to increase Houston’s lead, 89-75 to open the fourth quarter.
Hilario scored Houston’s next four points before Mavericks’Yogi Ferrell nail back-to-back treys to stop the bleeding. His second of the two three-pointers, turned into a four-point play after Green fouled him. That trimmed the Rockets lead to nine, 93-84. And gave the Mavericks (18-39) a boost in confidence but again Paul knocked down a jumper from the free throw line, and Harden fired in one of his famous step-back three-pointers to keep a comfortable cushion.
Ferrell scored 20 points for Dallas, and Dwight Powell added 18 points and 12 rebounds for the struggling Mavericks, who have lost eight of its last ten games.
By far the second quarter proved to work in Dallas favor. The Mavericks used a man-to-man, in your face defense to feed its offense which led to an 8-0 run. Collinsworth started the run when he penetrated to the basket, hitting the shot and drawing a foul. Smith drilled a free throw, McDermott connected on a basket and Jones came up with three points the old fashion way after he sliced to the basket, scored, fouled and made good on the bonus basket. That cut the score, 33-31 Houston,
Despite the loss of Dirk Nowitzki, who is nursing a left ankle injury, the Mavericks matched Houston’s energy. But struggled at times on the offensive side of the court.
Houston will face Minnesota Tuesday on the road.
