Houston Rockets End Dallas Mavericks’ Season With 103-94 Win In Game 5

James Harden and the Houston Rockets made sure they have enough rest before the next playoff series finishing off the Dallas Mavericks in Game 5 of the best-of-seven series in the first round of the Western Conference Playoffs. Harden tallied a game-high 28 points leading the Rockets to the 103-94 series-clinching victory on Tuesday night.

The Rockets’ frontcourt also had a good outing as starters Dwight Howard had a double-double of 18 points and 19 rebounds plus 4 steals and 4 blocked shots and Terrence Jones had 15 points while Josh Smith came off the bench to add 20 points and 8 rebounds.

Houston led by only six points at the half, 56-50 and Dallas was in it for much of the second half. The Mavericks cut it down to three, 88-85 with five minutes to go in the game but that was the closest they could get to the rest of the way. Houston, led by Harden and Jones, finished the game on an 18-to-6 run.

Veteran forward Dirk Nowitzki had 22 points and 14 rebounds while Monta Ellis had 25 points, 7 assists and 4 assists for the Mavericks, which shot only 38.0 per cent from the field making just 35-of-92 field goals. Houston shot well enough at 45.1 per cent from the field (37/82 FGs) but dominated the points in the paint, 52-36.

The Mavericks’ season ends with lots of question marks with the aging front court of 36-year-old Nowitzki and 32-year-old Tyson Chandler plus the impending free agency of point guard Rajon Rondo, who has had clashed with head coach Rick Carlisle throughout the regular season and the playoffs.

Meanwhile, Houston advanced to the second round in the West playoffs and will meet the winner of the Los Angeles Clippers-San Antonio Spurs series. The Texas team in that match-up leads the best-of-seven affair, 3-2.

To contact author of this article, email j.quizon@IBTimes.com.au.