Mavericks vs. Rockets: Game 1 Score and Twitter Reaction from 2015 NBA Playoffs
The Houston Rockets posted a comprehensive 118-108 win over the Dallas Mavericks in Saturday's Game 1 at Toyota Center, riding a balanced scoring output and an all-around performance from James Harden to claim victory in their 2015 NBA playoff debut.
Harden poured in 24 points and dished 11 assists, marking a playoff career high for helpers, despite shooting just 4-of-11 from the field. As one of seven Rockets in double figures, Harden's regular on-ball dominance wasn't necessary as Houston kept Dallas at a distance. Bleacher Report's official Twitter feed noted the Houston win:
A huge second quarter from Rajon Rondo (11 points, three assists) pulled the Mavericks in front, but only briefly before Houston took the lead for good prior to halftime. The Rockets stretched their lead to as many as 14 in the second half, and a 10-of-25 performance from beyond the arc helped keep the Mavs' late comeback bid at bay.
Dirk Nowitzki added 24 points, while Tyson Chandler's 11 points and 18 boards helped Dallas to win the rebounding battle with Dwight Howard in foul trouble. But it wasn't nearly enough to make up for the Rockets' hot shooting and a historic performance from Harden, as ESPN Stats & Info noted:
As the No. 2 seed in a loaded Western Conference, the Rockets' season has been building to a much more positive result than the first-round exits the franchise has become accustomed to over recent years. A retooled roster came into Saturday's playoff opener at home confident, despite facing the in-state rival Mavericks.
"I feel like we've got a great opportunity," Harden told Kristie Rieken of The Associated Press (via CBC Sports). "We've got the right guys in this locker room to get it done and go further than (the first round)."
They looked intent on doing so coming out of the gates, and it was the familiar duo of Harden and Howard leading the charge.
Harden scored eight first-quarter points, but his best early attribute relied upon breaking down the defense to set up his teammates. He matched his career playoff record for assists in the first half alone, and his willingness helped the Rockets offense to flow like a fountain.
One of the league's swiftest on-ball guards, Harden's handles were on display as well early as he shook former teammate Chandler Parsons for a deep three. Leigh Ellis of The Starters on NBA TV saw it as a reason to assume the pair had made amends:
As for Howard, he made his defensive presence known right off the bat with three first-quarter blocks, including this emphatic swat on Chandler:
The embattled center didn't have his usual offensive performance with 11 points, but he still showed glimpses of the man who was once one of the league's superstars. Due to Howard's performance and another re-emergence that took place Saturday, Kevin Ferrigan was left reminiscing:
For all of the Rockets' early success, they only built a 14-point lead heading into the early portion of the second quarter. The Mavericks quickly bit into the deficit, with another former star doing the biting.
Rondo caught fire for Dallas, scoring 11 points in the final six minutes and 40 seconds of the second quarter alone. From attacking in transition to hunting for the open shot, vintage Rondo was in full effect as the Mavericks took a brief 46-44 lead late in the second.
Jonathan Feigen of the Houston Chronicle saw Rondo adjusting to how the Rockets were playing him:
The Mavericks exploded as a unit to knot things up, as the Rockets led by just four at the break, but Rondo produced nearly half of the points as ESPN Stats & Info noted:
Right as Dallas regained the lead, a questionable play ended its momentum as Richard Jefferson was called for a flagrant foul on a Rockets layup. The incident can be seen below:
Foul trouble amplified Rondo's big second quarter, as Howard sat critical minutes, and that carried into the second half as he picked up foul No. 4 early in the third. Howard's riding the pine was keeping the Rockets from fully hitting their stride, as ESPN's Stephen A. Smith observed:
Even with Howard playing limited second-half minutes, the Rockets held off Dallas, thanks to a 12-0 run from Jason Terry and Harden combined, as Houston again pushed its lead to 14 late in the third. The Mavericks just wouldn't go away, as Monta Ellis nailed a buzzer-beating three to make it a single-digit game entering the fourth.
Dallas kept it close enough for Houston to hold its breath, but the Rockets hit dagger after dagger that the Mavericks simply couldn't keep up with. With Harden masked defensively, Corey Brewer and Terry did most of the big-shot honors late, as Nick Mathews of the Houston Chronicle noted:
But it wasn't all attributed to luck—the Mavericks deserve plenty of blame for the Rockets' open looks, as ESPN.com's Ramona Shelburne noted:
As a Houston three stunted each and every furious Mavericks attempt to cut the deficit, frustration settled in for a Dallas team that was just a few plays away from making this a nail-biter. Hardwood Paroxysm offered some reprieve for Mavs fans:
The Mavericks were in it until the final minutes, but it didn't matter very much—not with the Rockets on fire from deep and flowing offensively. With Houston getting the contributions it did from the supporting cast, Game 1 was no contest.
It became apparent once this series came about that the Rockets' best would be needed just to avoid another first-round exit, and that's just what the Mavericks got in Game 1. A team that opted to let Harden put it on his back so many times during the season, Houston looked the part of a complete squad Saturday, one that many believe can win the West.
Of course, many will infer that the opposing Mavs didn't play their best—because, well, they didn't. But there are few excuses when Dallas out-rebounded its opponent and had all five starters score in double figures.
Game 2 is set for Tuesday night at 9:30 p.m. ET in Houston before the series shifts to Dallas for the third contest on Friday.
If the Rockets have to trade Howard foul trouble and overcome a balanced Mavericks scoring for a win, though, it's safe to say they're going to take that every time.
