Brooks’ 30 help Rockets top Mavs 97-94
HOUSTON (AP)—Aaron Brooks(notes) felt in a groove, and that was all the HoustonRockets needed to pull out another close victory over the Dallas Mavericks.
Brooks scored 30 points, Shane Battier(notes) made a tiebreaking 3-pointer with2:11 left, and Rockets beat the Mavericks 97-94 on Thursday night.
“I wanted to extend the defense a little bit and open up Carl (Landry) onthe inside a little bit,” Brooks said. “I feel we did a great job doing that.I’m going to go out there and play hard and shoot when I’m open and whateverhappens after that, I’m going to roll with it.”
Houston Rockets' Carl Land… AP – Dec 31, 10:02 pm EST ![]()
Houston Rockets' Trevor Ar… AP – Dec 31, 9:55 pm EST ![]()
Dallas Mavericks' Dirk Now… AP – Dec 31, 9:55 pm EST ![]()
Houston Rockets' Aaron Bro… AP – Dec 31, 9:53 pm EST ![]()
Houston Rockets' Carl Land… AP – Dec 31, 9:47 pm EST ![]()
Houston Rockets' Carl Land… AP – Dec 31, 9:41 pm EST ![]()
Houston Rockets' Luis Scol… AP – Dec 31, 8:21 pm EST ![]()
Dallas Mavericks' Erick Da… AP – Dec 31, 8:17 pm EST ![]()
Dallas Mavericks coach Rick Ca… AP – Dec 31, 8:16 pm EST ![]()
Houston Rockets' Shane Bat… AP – Dec 31, 8:16 pm EST ![]()
Houston Rockets' Luis Scol… AP – Dec 31, 8:12 pm EST YAHOO.Sports.article_carousel_last_index = 10; YAHOO.Sports.article_carousel_lazy_images = [http://d.yimg.com/a/p/ap/20100101/capt.2afdd7409a1d49ef883fd874d8fa3bba.mavericks_rockets_basketball_htr109.jpg?x=180&y=200&xc=1&yc=1&wc=263&hc=292&q=70&sig=g4ByPbsi8b4a6Pi0W3paIg--,http://d.yimg.com/a/p/ap/20100101/capt.df8c8a049909498ba0416290ac0026e5.mavericks_rockets_basketball_htr107.jpg?x=180&y=200&xc=56&yc=1&wc=300&hc=333&q=70&sig=GZFlBjsK6emKYYqEbnlkEA--,http://d.yimg.com/a/p/ap/20100101/capt.6f63c47e85544656bb244bb4534e46c4.mavericks_rockets_basketball_htr108.jpg?x=180&y=200&xc=1&yc=1&wc=261&hc=290&q=70&sig=YDOdBcrSOlqHOd_Hfy2nww--,http://d.yimg.com/a/p/ap/20100101/capt.fae59ebe30fd4c118f5132854c739b1d.mavericks_rockets_basketball_htr106.jpg?x=180&y=200&xc=1&yc=1&wc=272&hc=302&q=70&sig=QAVIMTxgspY8OkmDBbWaTw--,http://d.yimg.com/a/p/ap/20100101/capt.450e6ffa2fdc44888746a69b75507adf.mavericks_rockets_basketball_htr105.jpg?x=180&y=200&xc=1&yc=1&wc=281&hc=312&q=70&sig=oVRZWSEyo3xXFR9YO9iUfg--,http://d.yimg.com/a/p/ap/20100101/capt.946202098c514021ab3330eeae42324d.correction_mavericks_rockets_basketball_htr101.jpg?x=180&y=200&xc=55&yc=1&wc=302&hc=335&q=70&sig=gcqBJuRE.d9ljmD4M3RxDA--,http://d.yimg.com/a/p/ap/20100101/capt.70c17834971845678f5124f10e681480.mavericks_rockets_basketball_htr104.jpg?x=180&y=200&xc=45&yc=1&wc=321&hc=357&q=70&sig=fgOYIDOzquBFmyS5DzCEKA--,http://d.yimg.com/a/p/ap/20100101/capt.c7a47726bb3a417a9e6f09d6f43da8a4.mavericks_rockets_basketball_htr103.jpg?x=180&y=200&xc=1&yc=1&wc=297&hc=330&q=70&sig=eAg4nqmfJXmGUCuT0XNsxA--,http://d.yimg.com/a/p/ap/20100101/capt.787f6c9918ac4f88a6bbfdbc19d5ddd6.mavericks_rockets_basketball_htr102.jpg?x=180&y=200&xc=1&yc=1&wc=305&hc=339&q=70&sig=CSX.FqbqtT.CksTF1wnalA--,http://d.yimg.com/a/p/ap/20100101/capt.dea4402c57984b3ca648c3bd58322d98.mavericks_rockets_basketball_htr101.jpg?x=180&y=200&xc=55&yc=1&wc=302&hc=335&q=70&sig=ovw.U3jZjUHbapojJaE.fg--]; YAHOO.util.Event.addListener(window,load,YAHOO.Sports.articleLazyLoadCarousel.init); 1 of 11 Dal-Hou Gallery function prev_photo() { if (YAHOO.Sports.article_carousel_current_index > 0) { goto_photo(YAHOO.Sports.article_carousel_current_index – 1); } else { goto_photo(YAHOO.Sports.article_carousel_last_index); }}function next_photo() { if (YAHOO.Sports.article_carousel_current_index 0) { YAHOO.util.Dom.addClass(article_carousel_prev, prev); YAHOO.util.Dom.removeClass(article_carousel_prev, prev_disabled); } else { YAHOO.util.Dom.addClass(article_carousel_prev, prev_disabled); YAHOO.util.Dom.removeClass(article_carousel_prev, prev); } if (YAHOO.Sports.article_carousel_current_index < YAHOO.Sports.article_carousel_last_index) { YAHOO.util.Dom.addClass(article_carousel_next, next); YAHOO.util.Dom.removeClass(article_carousel_next, next_disabled); } else { YAHOO.util.Dom.addClass(article_carousel_next, next_disabled); YAHOO.util.Dom.removeClass(article_carousel_next, next); }*/}function goto_photo(p) { if (YAHOO.Sports.article_carousel_photos) { for(i = 0; i < YAHOO.Sports.article_carousel_photos.length; i++) { if (i == p) { YAHOO.util.Dom.setStyle(YAHOO.Sports.article_carousel_photos[i], display, ); } else { YAHOO.util.Dom.setStyle(YAHOO.Sports.article_carousel_photos[i], display, none); } } if (YAHOO.Sports.article_carousel_current_page) { YAHOO.Sports.article_carousel_current_page.innerHTML =(p + 1); YAHOO.Sports.article_carousel_current_index = p; } } update_buttons();}YAHOO.Sports.article_carousel_init = function () { YAHOO.util.Event.addListener(article_carousel_prev, click, prev_photo); YAHOO.util.Event.addListener(article_carousel_next, click, next_photo); YAHOO.Sports.article_carousel_current_index = 0; YAHOO.Sports.article_carousel_current_page = YAHOO.util.Dom.get(carousel_page); YAHOO.Sports.article_carousel_photos = YAHOO.util.Dom.getElementsByClassName(item, div, leadphoto); if (YAHOO.Sports.article_carousel_photos) { goto_photo(0); }}YAHOO.Sports.article_carousel_init();
Brooks followed Battier’s 3 with one of his own for a six-point lead with1:35 remaining, and the Rockets held on when Jason Kidd(notes) missed a potential tyingshot from behind the arc in the final second.
“I got a great look,” Kidd said. “I might have rushed it a second. Iwould love to have that shot again. Give Houston credit. They won the game. Thezone helped us in the second half to get back in the game. We had anopportunity.”
The Rockets led through most of the first half and went up 66-52 in thethird quarter, aided by six quick points by Brooks. But the Mavericks scrambledback into the game and tied it at 89 with 4:52 to play.
Jason Terry(notes) led a strong bench performance by Dallas with 20 points. JoshHoward(notes) had 16 points and Drew Gooden(notes) added 10 points off the bench.
Shawn Marion(notes) had 16 points and Kidd scored 14 for the Mavs, but DirkNowitzki(notes) sat out much of the first half with three fouls, and finished with 11points and seven rebounds.
Landry added 15 points for the Rockets.
“We’ve struggled with Dallas early in the season,” Houston forward LuisScola(notes) said. “We finally could win the last two games so we finished the year ona great note and we’re happy with it.”
Houston led 56-47 at the half and Brooks took charge with 13 points in thethird quarter to keep the Rockets rolling to a 78-70 lead after three quarters.
The Rockets beat the Mavericks 116-108 in overtime in their last meeting onDec. 18. There were seven technical fouls called in the game and the Mavericksprotested to the NBA that the final 61 seconds should be replayed, believing a“misapplication of the rules” led to the ejection of Dallas center ErickDampier(notes) in the extra period.
This time, there were two technicals.
“We’re rivals and have been since I’ve been in Dallas,” Terry said. “It’sbeen tough all season and it’s an early end to our matchup during the regularseason. Good luck to them and maybe we’ll see them in the playoffs. They alwaysplay hard.”
The Rockets led by 10 points late in the first quarter, but the Mavericksfought back and took their only lead of the second period, 38-37 on a 16-footjumper by Terry. Kyle Lowry(notes) followed quickly with a 3-point basket and theRockets held on to their lead at the half.
Howard had 11 second-quarter points to keep Dallas close.
The Mavericks started cold and the Rockets broke from a 7-all tie to a 24-17lead. Scola broke the tie with two straight baskets and the Rockets tookadvantage of early foul trouble by Nowitzki, who drew his second foul at 6:31and sat out the rest of the first period. He got his third late in the secondquarter.
“Our undoing was a sluggish first quarter,” Mavericks coach Rick Carlislesaid. “Houston hit us with early transition points and 3s. The rest of the gamewas about even. With a team like this you have to come out with energy early oryou are in trouble.”
NOTES: Rockets rookie guard Chase Budinger(notes) is still recovering from asprained ankle Dec. 19 and sat out Thursday’s game and likely will missSaturday’s at New Orleans. Nowitzki has 10 double-doubles this season. Terry isthe Mavericks’ No. 7 career scorer with 6,152 points.
Comments
