Associated Press
Associated Press
DALLAS — Jason Terry scored seven consecutive points in a minute, starting a game-turning run for the Dallas Mavericks. And he wasn’t alone contributing off the bench.
Like Terry, Rodrigue Beaubois and Brandan Wright scored in double figures in a 90-81 victory over the Houston Rockets on Tuesday night. Even Lamar Odom resembled the player the defending NBA champions always thought they were getting.
“We got off to a very poor start,” coach Rick Carlisle said. “Odom, Terry, Wright, all of those guys that came in, Beaubois had a very impact game. All of those guys did, and they were the difference.”
The Mavericks fell behind by as many as 16 in the first quarter, and didn’t overtake a short-handed and worn-out Rockets team until Terry’s seven straight points started a 21-6 run in the third quarter.
“We needed a spark. We needed some energy. I saw us lagging there. It was an opportunity for us to take control of the game,” Terry said. “The bench was tremendous. It will be a key for us down the stretch. We need to be consistent off the bench, especially offensively.”
With 15 games left in the condensed regular season, the Mavericks (29-22) are tied for fifth place in the Western Conference. Next is a trip Thursday night to Miami in a rematch of last season’s NBA finals, and their first matchup since the Heat won 105-94 at Dallas in the Christmas Day season opener.
Dallas has won consecutive games against the Rockets, also winning 101-99 in overtime Saturday night in Houston.
But the Rockets (27-24) also had to play at home again Monday and needed overtime to beat Sacramento. This loss dropped them a half-game behind Denver for the eighth and final playoff spot in the West.
“We got a little bit tired,” coach Kevin McHale said. “We didn’t have that zip we needed. … The game was up for grabs in the third quarter, but we didn’t have any rhythm offensively.”
A turnover by Houston led to a breakaway layup by Terry with 6:39 left in the third quarter. The Mavs still trailed after Terry got credit for a layup after a goaltending call, but Terry then swished a 3-pointer from the top of the key for a 55-53 lead with 5:39 left in the quarter. It was their first lead since the game’s opening minutes.
Terry finished with 12 points and four assists. Beaubois had 14 points with five assists and Wright 13 points.
Odom’s nine points were his most in the last nine games, not including the game when Odom didn’t even play last Friday.
He was 4 of 5 shooting, including a driving wraparound layup during that third-quarter run that drew a huge cheer from the crowd, which had initially greeted him with a mix of cheers and boos. He also had four rebounds, three assists, a steal, a block and no turnovers in his 23 minutes.
“I felt comfortable. I’m finally getting to the point where I’m getting my second wind,” Odom said. “I can finally count on my body, which in this game is what it’s all about. All you can do is take it game by game and not get too excited.”
Carlisle called it a “‘great step in the right direction” for last season’s NBA Sixth Man of the Year with the Los Angeles Lakers.
Dirk Nowitzki had 21 points despite a bad shooting night (5 of 17), and was the only Dallas starter who scored in double figures. He made 11 of 12 free throws, 10 of the attempts coming before halftime.
Luis Scola had 22 points and eight rebounds for the Rockets, while Goran Dragic scored 17 points. Chandler Parsons had 15 points and nine rebounds.
After Terry’s seven-point run, Jason Kidd had a mistake. His turnover led to a running layup by Dragic to tie it at 55, but he quickly redeemed himself with a 3-pointer that put the Mavs ahead to stay.
Even after two overtime games the previous three nights, and again without guards Kyle Lowry and Kevin Martin, the Rockets jumped out to a quick 15-4 lead. That was capped by Dragic and Courtney Lee hitting consecutive 3s.
The Rockets had their largest lead, 26-10, after a 3-pointer by Chase Budinger with 3 minutes left in the first quarter.
“We had good energy in the first quarter,” Scola said. “But we didn’t play well in the second half.”
LAKERS 104, WARRIORS 101
OAKLAND, Calif. — Kobe Bryant made a pair of jumpers in the final 64 seconds, finishing with 30 points to lead the Lakers.
Bryant missed his first two shots in the final period before twice rising over a pair of defenders for difficult fall-away jumpers from the corner. The first tied the game and the second put the Lakers ahead by two — and for good — with 32 seconds remaining.
Former Warriors forward Matt Barnes had 28 points and 10 rebounds, and Pau Gasol added 19 points and 17 rebounds to give Los Angeles its third win in four games.
THUNDER 109,
TRAIL BLAZERS 95
PORTLAND, Ore. — Russell Westbrook had 32 points and eight assists, Kevin Durant scored 25 points and the Western Conference-leading Oklahoma City Thunder won their fourth straight.
James Harden added 21 points off the bench for the Thunder, who built a 65-47 lead by halftime and led by as many as 20 points.
LaMarcus Aldridge had 20 points and eight rebounds as Portland fell to 3-4 under Kaleb Canales, who took over as interim coach when the Blazers fired Nate McMillan at the NBA trade deadline.
SPURS 107, SUNS 100
PHOENIX — Tony Parker scored eight points in a 10-0 San Antonio run early in the fourth quarter, and the Spurs went on to win their fifth in a row and eighth in nine games.
Tim Duncan scored 17 of his 26 points in the first half and grabbed 11 rebounds for the Spurs, winners of 12 of their last 14 road games. Parker scored half of his 24 in the fourth quarter.
76ERS 103, CAVALIERS 85
PHILADELPHIA — Jodie Meeks scored a career-high 31 points and Jrue Holiday had 19 to lead Philadelphia over Cleveland.
BUCKS 108, HAWKS 101
MILWAUKEE — Monta Ellis scored 33 points, including 17 in the fourth quarter, and had eight assists to lead Milwaukee to a win over Atlanta.
GRIZZLIES 93,
TIMBERWOLVES 86
MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Rudy Gay scored 21 points, and Dante Cunningham added season highs of 13 points and 14 rebounds to lead Memphis over Minnesota.