The Rockets and Mavericks match up in a battle of Southwest Division foes. The Spurs fan in me wants the Mavericks to lose so the Spurs increase their lead in the Southwest, but the future sportswriter in me wants to stay objective and just hope for a good game.
Who is Rawle Marshall?
Early on, Rafer Alston hits a three off a feed from Yao. A lot of people talk about how good a passer Yao is, but why shouldn't he be? He can see over the head of almost any player, and nobody can reach the ball when he holds it over his head.
8:59 left in the 1st and DeSagana Diop dunks on Yao, and 1.
During a freethrow in the 1st, the cameraman pans down the bench for the Rockets, and I see Macej Lampe sitting there. I remember before the 2003 draft and there was so much talk about how good he was and how high he was going to get drafted. He's played for four teams since then, and never played a significant role. Probably just a result of the Euro fad Chad Ford spearheaded.
During a timeout, I'm able to find out just who Rawle Marshall is. Spent most of the seaosn in the D-League, but because of injuries was called up. He's played in 11 games for the Mavs, starting 6 (including this one). He's from Oakland University in Rochester, Michigan and was signed as an undrafted free agent in August.
Houston is hitting threes so far in the game. Through the first quarter, they're about 4 of 5.
End of first quarter, tied at 20. The may very well be a good game.
Just when I search NBA.com to learn who Josh Powell is, Doug Collins beats me to it and let's me know all I need to know.
I wish the Rockets paid me $5 million a season just to come off the bench dunk the basketball like they're paying Stromile Swift to do.
10-2 run during the second quarter puts Dallas up 28-24. Timeout Rockets.
The run continues for the Mavs, the score is 36-26 with 5:22 left in the 1st half.
3:50 left and Dirk Nowitzki drives, spins on Ryan Bowen, throws up a shot sandwiched between two players, and of course makes it and gets the foul.
29 seconds left in the half and Yao picks up his third foul. That might be a problem.
Jerry Stackhouse hits a deep three at the buzzer to give Dallas a 51-34 lead at halftime. Dallas wins the second quarter by a 31-14 margin.
The second half is about to start. With T-Mac out and Yao in foul trouble, I don't see any way the Mavericks can lose this game.
Just 1:14 into the second half and Dirk holds the ball at the top of the key and Jason Terry sets a pick for him. It's not very often you see a point guard set a pick for a 7 footer on the perimeter.
60-43 with left in a rather uneventful third quarter.
A Dirk three puts Dallas up 20 at 65-45.
A Juwan Howard free throw for Houston cuts the lead to 65-52.
The third quarter comes to an end with the Mavericks up 72-56 over the Rockets.
The fourth quarter starts with Josh Powell fumbling a wide open alley-oop.
I'm all for cats going to college to develop their game, but I don't think they can teach guards how to score with an athletic 7 footer guarding you like Keith Bogans having Dirk on him. I don't care how bad of a defensive player Dirk is, that's tough.
A rare post move and put-back from Stromile Swift with 7:52 left in the game cuts the Dallas lead to twelve, 76-64.
I wish Avery Johnson would wear a microphone for every game, just so I could hear the sound of his voice. And I say that in a totally heterosexual way.
Shoe Alert: Juwan Howard is rocking the black and silver Air Jordan XXI's.
Someone in the NBA offices needs to step up and initiate change in the playoff format. There is no way the two best teams in the Western Conference should play each other in the second round of the playoffs as the Spurs and Mavericks are eventually going to do. I say the division winners should be guaranteed playoff spots, but they shouldn't automatically get the top three seeds.
Up 18 points with 3:20 left, Dallas gets enough offensive rebounds to stretch one possession to about a minute long and pretty much put the game away for good.
So Yao has his first mediocre game since the All-Star break with only 13 points and it costs the Rockets as they lose their 6th in a row, 88-72.
So both the Spurs and the Mavericks win on tuesday, keeping the Spurs just a 1/2 game up on the Mavericks in the Southwest division race and the race for the Western Conference's top seed. Barring any late-season collapses, this race should come down to the season's last couple weeks. There's a double header on ESPN wednesday so more notes could be posted late wednesday or on thursday.
This format is what to expect when game notes are posted, which should be at least once a week. More should be posted this week, with other articles coming soon too.
Until next time.
