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Rockets-Mavericks Preview

Dec 3, 2015 - 10:12 PM Off to sluggish starts, the Dallas Mavericks and Houston Rockets are starting to show signs of coming around.

With both teams coming off wins, they meet for the second time this season Friday night at the American Airlines Center.

Houston (8-11) is looking for its fourth victory in five games thanks in large part to the resurgence of its potent attack. The Rockets have averaged 111.3 points in the past four after scoring 97.0 over the previous eight.

Balance has been the key during that stretch. Houston defeated New Orleans 108-101 on Wednesday, placing six players in double figures and getting at least six points from everyone who played. At least five players have reached double digits in each of the past three games, with the reserves averaging 42.3 in those.

That's well above the bench's season average of 26.8 - among the lowest marks in the league.

"This group, the pieces are there, the talent is there. They're working at it and we've been waiting for it to click," interim coach J.B. Bickerstaff said.

Point guard Ty Lawson, struggling in his first season with the Rockets, scored 12 points and added six assists. He's gone 8 for 14 from the floor over the last two games.

''It feels a little bit more comfortable,'' he said. ''I'm trying to find my way in the offense. I don't have the ball as much as I normally do, but I am figuring it out day by day.''

The Rockets blocked seven shots, led by three from Dwight Howard - who also had 16 rebounds - and scored 27 points off 23 turnovers.

Dallas (11-8) has played better than Houston in the early going, but the Mavericks had dropped three straight before winning two of their last three.

Wesley Matthews helped Dallas to its latest victory, 115-112 in overtime at Portland on Tuesday. The former Trail Blazer scored 18 points, while Deron Williams had 30 points, eight assists and six rebounds and Dirk Nowitzki scored 28.

Dallas also got 14 points and 21 rebounds from Zaza Pachulia. The veteran center is averaging a career-high 10.2 rebounds along with 11.1 points.

''He's just real smart in there. He uses his body and he's a little more athletic than he appears,'' coach Rick Carlisle said. ''He's quick to the ball and his strength and timing is really uncanny.''

The Mavs outscored the Blazers 9-3 to open the extra period, showing more energy late in a matchup of teams playing on back-to-back nights.

"It was a game on the road and the second night of a back-to-back. We had a lead early, lost it, and then we just never really found a good rhythm until the end," Williams told the team's official website. "I think that says a lot about our team and about the fight we have.

"I thought it was a great team win for us. We had a lot of guys that stepped up and played huge tonight. Of course, Dirk's night. But if you look at Zaza, Wes and Ray (Felton), we had so many guys that came in and played big minutes for us. And it was a huge win for us."

Williams has scored at least 20 points four times in the past seven games after not reaching the mark at all in his first 11.

Dallas was without guard J.J. Barea for a third straight game because of a sprained right ankle.

The Mavericks won the first matchup of the season 110-98 at Houston on Nov. 14. The Rockets, though, have taken four of six meetings.