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Mavs send Rockets to fifth straight loss with comeback
Dallas 100, Houston 94
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Damien Pierce
Rockets.com Staff Writer
HOUSTON -- During his first game back from a right elbow injury, Tracy McGrady lost feeling in his shooting hand.
The Mavericks, though, didn't lose their touch for tormenting the Rockets.
Less than 24 hours after pulling off a dramatic comeback against Toronto, the Mavericks overcame a 17-point deficit and rallied past the Rockets for an improbable 100-94 victory Wednesday night at Toyota Center.
The Rockets had led by as much as 17 points in the second half and were up by a dozen points heading into the fourth quarter. But none of that mattered after the Rockets were outscored 38-20 in the final period.
Dallas, which picked up its ninth win in its last 10 meetings against Houston, sent the Rockets to their fifth straight loss for the first time since March 2006.
What went wrong this time against Dallas? The Rockets blamed their lack of defense in the fourth quarter.
"We didn't have the will and desire to get stops on them and that's been the problem during this losing streak," Rockets point guard Rafer Alston said. "It's the will and desire to want to go down there and defend the basketball. We can't defend."
The Rockets (6-6) certainly didn't make any stops with the game on the line.
Despite seizing control of the game in the third quarter, the Rockets watched their lead evaporate to 91-86 heading into the final two minutes. Jerry Stackhouse pulled the Mavericks within two points when he drilled a three-pointer from the right corner with 1:09 remaining.
After McGrady threw the ball away on Houston's ensuing possession, Devin Harris raced to the other end and was fouled for a three-point play. That pushed Dallas ahead 92-91.
The Mavs (9-2) held on from there. Stackhouse scored Dallas' final eight points, sinking six straight free throws before capping off the Mavs' comeback with a dunk before the final buzzer. Houston, meanwhile, missed three of its final four shots.
During that fourth quarter run, Dallas used a small lineup to force Yao Ming to guard one of their perimeter players. The plan worked as the Mavs shot 60 percent from the field and made 11 of 13 free throws.
"We played pretty well the whole game," Rockets coach Rick Adelman said. "But down the stretch when you have the lead, that's when you have to make stops without fouling. We didn't do it."
With McGrady back in the lineup after missing two games, the Rockets appeared to be on their way towards ending their recent skid.
Despite shooting 6-of-19 from the field and dealing with some numbness in his shooting hand, McGrady had still done plenty to ignite the Rockets. He
used his passing to torment Dallas' defense, setting up Yao for 30 points and Rafer Alston for 18.
During what looked like a game-determining 19-4 run in the third quarter, McGrady accounted for seven points and three assists.
McGrady resorted to passing because he lost feeling in his hand.
"I actually lost feeling in two of my fingers," McGrady said. "It was bothering me all night. But I'm still going to play. I don't have time to rest unless I sit out. And I'm not going to do that."
The Rockets didn't get much help from their bench. Besides being outscored 38-17 by Dallas' reserves, the Rockets watched leads at the start of the second and fourth quarters disappear after going to their bench.
"You can look at a game like this and come up with every possible excuse," Adelman said. "It's just one of those games that will stay with you for awhile. If anything, we have to get more production and more consistency in the start of the second and fourth quarter when we substitute. We lost our momentum and we have to figure out why."
The Rockets, though, still had a chance to win late. They just couldn't finish against a team that continues to give them trouble.
"With two minutes left, we had a five-point lead," Yao said. "I think that's happened before (against Dallas). We made mistakes again. They had a small lineup and we didn't play enough good basketball to win the game. In the last minute and 40 seconds, we turned the ball over. The game was in hand and we just let it slip away."
