Houston Rockets (8-6) at Dallas Mavericks (10-4)
The Jekyll and Hyde personality of the Dallas Mavericks showed itself again on Tuesday night, as the Mavs were out-worked and flat out-played by a short-handed Golden State Warriors ball club.
Though the banged up Warriors only played six players, taking the court without their head coach, they still mustered up enough energy to outscore Dallas 24-7 the last 7:18 of the fourth to take the 111-103 victory and halt the Mavs' five-game winning streak dead in its tracks.
"They made shots and we didn't get stops," point guard Jason Kidd said after the loss. "We were up seven with five minutes left and normally we'll get stops even if we don't get baskets, but tonight we just didn't get it done."
(Photo by Bill Baptist/NBAE via Getty Images)
Dallas will try to out-work the Rockets on Tuesday night
Now the Mavs have to find a way to get it done on the second night of a back-to-back against the team that sits just below them in the Southwest Division standings and arguably the hardest working squad in the NBA, the Houston Rockets.
Earlier in the season, Mavs coach Rick Carlisle said no team in the league would out-work the Rockets, with Tracy McGrady (knee) and Yao Ming (foot) both out for the division foe. Houston proved him right, as the Rockets built a 17-point first half lead on the Mavs at the American Airlines Center with a workman-like effort before Dallas stormed back to blow out Houston 121-103 in their Nov. 10 meeting.
"The way we looked down the stretch (against Golden State), a day off wouldn't be bad," Nowitzki said. "We didn't make the schedule. We have to go down to Houston, they're waiting on us. They're also a high-energy team, with a bunch of young guys that move a lot in the Rick Adelman offense. So, we'll try to get some rest tonight and during the day and be ready for tomorrow."
After not matching the Warriors' energy level and seeing first-hand what the Rockets are capable of, the Mavericks know they can't enter Houston with tired legs.
"Houston is not going to get any easier," sixth man Jason Terry said. "They're a tough team. They always play tough at home and we have to get a win."
Dallas could receive an energy boost from forward Shawn Marion, who will once again be listed as a game-time decision as he attempts to return from a sprained left ankle. Marion has missed the last three games for the Mavs since suffering the injury on the first play of the game against Milwaukee on Nov. 16.
The Mavericks-Rockets matchup will air locally on Tuesday night on KTXA 21 and KTXA HD at 7:30 p.m. CT. It is the first game of a three-game road trip for the Mavs.
Dallas returns to the American Airlines Center on Nov. 30, when they play host to the Philadelphia 76ers. That game will air locally on Fox Sports Southwest at 7 p.m. CT. Tickets are still available and can be purchased by calling (214) 747-MAVS.
The Mavericks and the NBA have introduced the official NBA All-Star game ballot, featuring Dirk Nowitzki, Jason Kidd, Josh Howard, Shawn Marion and Jason Terry. For more on how to vote for your favorite Mavs for the All-Star game, to be held at Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, Texas, visit Mavs.com.
Follow Mavs.com’s Earl K. Sneed on Twitter at http://twitter.com/EarlKSneed.
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