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 Along with guard James Harden, Smith keyed a second-half offensive
resurgence and Houston rallied from a third-quarter deficit to race
past the Dallas Mavericks 115-104 on Sunday at Toyota Center.
Harden posted his eighth career triple-double and second this
season, finishing with 23 points, 15 rebounds and 10 assists. Smith
added 16 points off the bench and energized the Rockets (24-22) for
a second consecutive game following his acquisition from the
Clippers on Friday.
"I feel comfortable," Smith said. "It might have been a little
different story if this had been my first time getting to know these
guys, but being able to get an opportunity to play with the same
team around the same group of guys is awesome."
Forward Trevor Ariza scored a season-high 29 points, 16 in the first
quarter, and shot 11 of 15 from the floor, including 6 of 9 from
behind the 3-point line as Houston managed a 28-point second-half
turnaround.
Dallas entered the fourth period shooting 53.4 percent (31 for 58)
but collapsed late. Forward Chandler Parsons poured in a season-high
31 points against his former team, but his teammates could not keep
pace.
Forward Dirk Nowitzki added 19 points but was scoreless over four
fourth-quarter minutes. Guards Raymond Felton and Wesley Matthews
scored 16 and 15 points, respectively, but combined for just six in
the final period.
Center Sal Mejri, starting for the injured Zaza Pachulia, had 10
points, 11 boards and three blocks but also had three late
turnovers.
The Mavericks (25-21) hit 15 of 30 3-pointers in defeat. They led
70-59 when Nowitzki buried a 3-pointer with 7:36 left in the third
quarter but their defense had no answer when Smith and Harden got
the Rockets rolling.
"They are tough to defend with the roster they have regardless of
who's out there," Mavericks coach Rick Carlisle said of the Rockets.
"They are very deep and they didn't even have (center Dwight) Howard
playing. It's going to be tough.
"Smith is a guy who played well for them last year and he's playing
well for them this year, so he doesn't make it any easier."
Following an offensive showcase where both teams shot above 50
percent in the first quarter, only Dallas kept pace in the second
period.
Keyed by Nowitzki, who scored on three consecutive Mavericks
possessions, Dallas seized the lead with a 13-0 run that included
Houston missing six consecutive field goals while committing two
turnovers over a four-plus minute stretch. The Rockets missed 15 of
21 shots in the second, and when Parsons closed the period with a
trey and three free throws with 11.9 seconds left, Dallas led 58-50
at the break.
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"You can never get comfortable against a team like Houston," Parsons
said. "They are very talented in so many different ways. We allowed
them to make plays and get easy shots and open 3s."
Following a 3-for-12 first half, Harden found a groove early in the
third quarter, scoring 10 quick points to keep the Rockets afloat.
The Mavericks held a 73-65 lead when Smith entered at the 5:35 mark
of the period, and in a flash he sparked the Rockets' 11-4 run into
contention.
Felton nailed a trey to keep the Mavericks ahead 85-84 entering the
fourth but by then Houston had wrangled momentum. Ariza, reserve
guard Jason Terry and Smith drilled 3s in succession, and after
guard Ty Lawson added a three-point play before Terry buried another
3, the Rockets built their lead to 101-91 with 8:30 remaining in the
contest.
"Josh brought that extra burst that we needed," Harden said. "It's
just perfect timing."
NOTES: The Mavericks were without C Zaza Pachulia (right lower leg)
and F Jeremy Evans (right shoulder). Should Pachulia respond well to
rest, he could return to the lineup on Tuesday against the Lakers in
Los Angeles. ... Rockets PG Patrick Beverley returned to the lineup
after missing three of four games with a left ankle sprain while C
Dwight Howard remained sidelined with the same ailment. Howard
missed his second consecutive game after suffering the injury in the
opening minute against the Pistons last Wednesday. ... Rockets
interim coach J.B. Bickerstaff stuck with his small-ball lineup,
pairing Trevor Ariza and Corey Brewer at forward alongside C Clint
Capela. Ariza provides the defensive versatility to validate the
change, defending power forwards with an effectiveness that makes
Bickerstaff amenable with the switch.
[© 2016 Thomson Reuters. All rights
reserved.]
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