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Mavs host division-rival Rockets in Big D

Nov 29, 2010 - 3:55 PM (Sports Network) - The Dallas Mavericks will try to extend their winning streak to six games when they renew an old rivalry with the Southwest Division-rival Houston Rockets this evening at American Airlines Center.

Dallas opened a three-game homestand with Saturday's 106-95 victory over the Miami Heat, as Dirk Nowitzki scored 22 points and pulled down six rebounds in the Mavs' ninth win in 11 tries. The Dallas bench also outscored Miami's reserves by a 39-22 margin.

Caron Butler added 23 points for the Mavericks, who have won 13 in a row and 19 of the past 21 matchups with Miami. Tyson Chandler chipped in 14 points and 17 rebounds, while Shawn Marion also scored 14 points in the win. Chandler is averaging 16.7 points and 14.3 rebounds over his last three games.

"It feels great and we feel real good as a team," Butler said. "We have so much more to accomplish and we want to keep this momentum going."

Mavericks center Brendan Haywood, who was suspended by the team for Friday's game at San Antonio, had zero points off the bench. Dallas will also host Minnesota and is 6-3 at home this season. It has scored 100 or more points in three straight games and owns a 6-0 mark this season when reaching the century mark in scoring.

In 2009-10, Dallas went 35-7 when scoring 100-plus points.

Meanwhile, the Rockets will try to put the brakes on a three-game road losing streak tonight and are 2-7 away from the Toyota Center this season.

Houston has won two of three games since a four-game losing streak and recorded a 99-98 win over Oklahoma City on Sunday. Kevin Martin scored 23 points, Shane Battier had 18 and Kyle Lowry netted 14 points for the Rockets, who got 13 points from Luis Scola.

Thunder star Kevin Durant missed a game-winning shot at the buzzer.

"We knew it was going to come down to the wire just the way it was going," Martin told NBA.com. "In the third quarter, they would make a run, then we would make a run, so that's what we've been practicing and I'm just glad it paid off tonight."

Scola has scored in double figures in 12 straight games, while Houston won for the first time this season when scoring less than 100 points. The Rockets have won 11 consecutive games at home against the Seattle/Oklahoma City franchise.

The Mavericks and Rockets split a four-game series last season, but Dallas has won 14 of the previous 20 meetings between the teams. Houston has dropped seven of 10 trips to Big D.