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RECAP
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BOX SCORE
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GAME FLOW
HOUSTON (AP) – The Dallas Mavericks are far from satisfied with
just qualifying for the playoffs for the first time in 11 years.
|  | | Michael Finley had 27 points and six rebounds to lead the Mavs to victory. |
The Mavericks wrapped up the playoff spot Tuesday night, beating
the Houston Rockets 109-97 behind Michael Finley's 27-point
performance. Juwan Howard added 23 for Dallas, which secured the
berth with the victory and Seattle's loss at San Antonio.
"Sure, turning it around is rewarding. But it's something we
all expected," said guard Steve Nash, who had 16 points. "The
media never put as much pressure on us as we put on ourselves. We
thought all along we'd go to the playoffs."
Dirk Nowitzki scored 20 points to help the Mavs to their fifth
victory in six games and 11th in 14.
"We got our present early and now we can focus on something
else," coach Don Nelson said. "We're happy the way we clinched it
and we can build from here. We are doing a great job and it
couldn't happen at a better time.
"We're playing the best we've played all year. We're on a roll.
The guys are doing a good job of playing together."
For the long-suffering Mavs, it was a night to remember.
"It's a great feeling," Nowitzki said. "My first two years,
we were close but we didn't make it. Just to know that we're in the
playoffs is a great feeling."
On the other end of the spectrum, Houston lost for the sixth
time in eight games. The Rockets usual leading scorer, Steve
Francis, managed only five points, 15 below his average, on 1-of-12
shooting.
"It wasn't like I was missing jumpers," Francis said. "I
missed a lot of easy shots, a lot of layups. It just wasn't going
in for me. I tried to do other things to help the team because I
don't believe in that stuff about `it just wasn't my night.'
"We didn't play good defense during several lapses in the game.
That really hurt us."
Cuttino Mobley led the Rockets with 28 points. Maurice Taylor
had 16 and Hakeem Olajuwon 15.
"We were playing one of the hottest teams in the league,"
coach Rudy Tomjanovich said. "We were in it for a while, but we
missed some point-blank shots and we burnt up some energy in the
backcourt chasing them and you just can't win that way."
With Olajuwon scoring eight points, the Rockets moved ahead
29-23 with 1:57 left in the first period. But Howard helped keep
the Mavs close scoring 11 in the period, which ended with Houston
up 32-29.
Howard hit his first two shots in the second period and Finley
and Vernon Maxwell hit back-to-back 3-pointers to help the Mavs
inch ahead 39-38. It remained close until late in the quarter when
Dallas went on a 9-2 run to open a 59-50 lead with 2:36 left.
The Mavericks stretched the lead to as many as 12 before
settling for a 67-58 lead at intermission, the most points allowed
by the Rockets in a half this season.
The Mavs stretched the lead to 90-72 at the end of the third
quarter.
Nowitzki scored the first two baskets of the fourth quarter to
stretch the Mavs lead to 94-72, their biggest of the night. With
mostly reserves in for both teams, Houston used a 13-0 run to close
to 100-93 with 2:53 to play.
Game notes
Dallas' Greg Buckner dislocated his kneecap with 7:03 left
in the second quarter and was carried off the court. He didn't
return and is day-to-day ... Olajuwon has played 76 games against
the Mavs, the most against any team in the league ... Dallas has a
club-record 23 road victories.
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ALSO SEE
NBA Scoreboard
Dallas Clubhouse
Houston Clubhouse
RECAPS
Boston 82
Miami 77
Charlotte 103
New Jersey 88
New York 94
Orlando 82
Indiana 85
Phoenix 81
Toronto 100
Philadelphia 85
LA Lakers 96
Utah 88
Detroit 110
Chicago 83
Dallas 109
Houston 97
San Antonio 107
Seattle 89
Denver 94
Portland 92
Milwaukee 107
Sacramento 101
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