Dallas Mavericks vs. Houston Rockets: Postgame Grades and Analysis
The Houston Rockets finished off the Dallas Mavericks, Tuesday night, downing the Mavs 104-93 in Game 5 to advance to the second round of the playoffs.
James Harden and Dwight Howard helped Houston establish an early lead, and while the Mavericks made several runs and remained within striking distance until the very end, the Rockets never gave up their lead.
The Mavericks struggled to score, with Monta Ellis' shooting proving unpredictable and Dirk Nowitzki unable to connect from the start.
Though Nowitzki began finding the bottom of the net in the second half, Harden's offense and Howard's defense ultimately gave the Rockets the firepower needed to pull out the win.
Dallas' playoff campaign came to an early end, while Houston will play the winner of the San Antonio Spurs and Los Angeles Clippers' first-round series.
Houston Rockets
James Harden: A-
On the fringe of a series victory, Harden came out swinging. The Rockets' leading man has been incredible offensively throughout the entire first round—both as a scorer and a playmaker—and his Game 5 performance did not disappoint.
Harden notched 28 points (9-of-19 from the floor), shooting the ball well and getting to the rim consistently. He created opportunities for others when he attacked the basket, and while his go-to three-point shooters were off their games, Harden still managed a team-high eight assists.
Dwight Howard: A
Yes, playoff Dwight Howard is a thing.
Even if the big man wasn't a consistent go-to scoring option in the post, his strength and athleticism helped him grab 19 rebounds and score 18 points—a fair share of which came on putbacks.
He was especially good defensively, finishing with four blocks and four steals. His presence alone had Dallas shying away from the paint, despite struggling from deep from the get-go.
Howard—likely the league's most common Hack-a-Shaq target—found himself at the free-throw line consistently. Though he went 4-of-10 from the stripe, his services on defense and the glass made it difficult for Houston to send him to the bench.
Josh Smith: B+
Continuing his fantastic postseason campaign, Josh Smith exploded off the bench for 20.
Smith, who was a midseason addition, has proved to be a great fit in Houston's offense. His versatility has helped him fill various roles with the team, and each was on full display Tuesday night.
As a scorer, he limited his shot selection to threes and attempts from the paint. Shooting an efficient 7-of-12, he was great around the rim and didn't hurt the team from beyond the arc.
He too struggled from the charity stripe but was still a plus for Houston with his scoring and his ability to single-handedly create a notable disparity between each bench's production.
Terrence Jones: B
Terrence Jones was silent for much of the game. However, he came alive in the final quarter and played a major role in sealing the Houston victory.
Particularly over a stretch in which he followed an and-1 with a three, Jones was essential in the fourth period when the rest of the Rockets offense stalled. Jonathan Feigen of the Houston Chronicle noted Jones' scoring streak:
He finished with 15 points, adding five rebounds and playing strong interior defense alongside Howard.
Rest of Team: D+
Jason Terry was a no-show as a starter, and Trevor Ariza—despite looking active early—finished with a 1-of-7 mark from deep.
The bench—outside of Smith—added virtually nothing. Corey Brewer hit one big three, and Pablo Prigioni managed a key steal to help seal the win, but overall the win was the product of the stars’ success.
Dallas Mavericks
Monta Ellis: B-
Monta Ellis began the game on a strong note, attacking the rim hard and guiding Dallas to its first few points. However, as Houston's interior defense became more active, Ellis was pushed out of the paint and began settling for jumpers.
Naturally, his efficiency and overall effectiveness dropped.
Ellis ultimately logged 25 points, but he did so on 11-of-26 shooting. He was especially bad from the perimeter, where he went 2-of-7.
He had his moments in the final few quarters, but he struggled overall and seemed to be hurting, eventually exiting the game with 1:09 to go after (unsuccessfully) trying to draw a charge.
Dirk Nowitzki: C+
Nowitzki ultimately scored 22 points on 8-of-23 shooting, but he scored the bulk of his points in the final half.
In the opening two periods, he went just 2-of-11 and 0-of-4 from deep, setting the tone for his Dallas squad. Feigen pointed out the Rockets' MVP competition, with Nowitzki in first place:
He did grab 14 rebounds—important given Tyson Chandler's relative absence on the boards—and didn't look terrible defensively. Still, his offensive woes were enough to put Dallas at an early disadvantage and one that it never completely recovered from.
Al-Farouq Aminu: B+
One day after posting a double-double in the Mavs' lone playoff win, Al-Farouq Aminu finished with 14 points and nine rebounds.
However, his best play came on the defensive end, where he logged five blocks and helped Dallas dominate in transition. His length disrupted Houston's scorers, as Aminu played the best defense on Harden seen the whole night.
His intense activity eventually led to his fouling out but not before he left his mark and drew plenty of praise for his defensive play.
J.J. Barea: C-
J.J. Barea was great in Game 4, delivering one of the best performances from a Dallas point guard yet this season. However, after dishing out five assists early, he quieted down. He finished with nine assists but was awful as a scorer.
Barea went 3-of-12 and played a primary role in Dallas’ perimeter struggles.
Nonetheless, he wasn’t expected to play a primary role as an injury replacement for Rajon Rondo, despite the high expectations set after his Game 4 explosion.
Rest of Team: D
Tyson Chandler scored when given the ball, going 5-of-6 from the floor. However, he was dominated on the boards by Howard and logged just six.
The bench was quiet, combining for just 16 points on 5-of-17 shooting. Devin Harris was the only backup to log significant minutes, and despite going 2-of-7, he finished with a plus/minus of plus-five.
