Mavericks vs. Rockets: Series Preview

Western Conference Quarterfinals
7. Dallas Mavericks (50-32) vs. 2. Houston Rockets (56-26)

Schedule
Game 1 at Houston: Sat. April 18, 8:30, Ch. 21, ESPN
Game 2 at Houston: Tue. April 21, 8:30, Ch. 21, TNT
Game 3 at Dallas: Fri. April 24, 6:00, Ch. 21, ESPN
Game 4 at Dallas: Sun. April 26, 8:30, Ch. 21, TNT
Game 5 at Houston, Tue. April 28, TBD, Ch. 21, TBD (if necessary)
Game 6 at Dallas, Thu. April 30, TBD, Ch. 21, TBD (if necessary)
Game 7 at Houston, Sat. May 2, TBD, Ch. 21, TNT (if necessary)

2014-15 Matchups
Nov. 22 at Houston 
Rockets 95 Mavs 92
Jan. 28 at Houston
Rockets 99 Mavs 94
Feb. 20 at Dallas
Mavs 111 Rockets 100
April 2 at Dallas
Rockets 108 Mavs 101
Season Series: 3-1 Rockets

All-Time Regular Season Results
Rockets 84 Mavs 79

All-Time Playoff Series Results
1988 West Quarterfinals
Mavs 3 Rockets 1
2005 West Quarterfinals
Mavs 4 Rockets 3
All-Time Playoff Results: Mavs 7 Rockets 4

Team Stats
Mavs
Off. Rating: 107.2 (5th)
Def. Rating: 103.7 (18th)
Pace: 97.4 (9th)
Point Differential: +2.9
Rockets
Offense: 104.2 (12th)
Defense: 100.5 (6th)
Pace: 99.3 (2nd)
Point Differential: +3.4

Projected Starters
Mavs
PG: Rajon Rondo
SG: Monta Ellis
SF: Chandler Parsons
PF: Dirk Nowitzki
C: Tyson Chandler
Rockets
PG: Jason Terry
SG: James Harden
SF: Trevor Ariza
PF: Terrence Jones
C: Dwight Howard

Key Reserves
Mavs
G: Devin Harris
F: Al-Farouq Aminu
C: Amare Stoudemire
Rockets
G: Pablo Prigioni
G-F: Corey Brewer
F: Josh Smith

Team Leaders
Mavs
PPG: Ellis, 18.9
RPG: Chandler, 11.5
APG: Rondo, 6.5
SPG: Ellis, 1.9
BPG: Chandler, 1.2
PER: Stoudemire, 22.3
Win Shares: Chandler, 10.3
Rockets
PPG: Harden, 27.4
RPG: Howard, 10.5
APG: Harden, 7.0
SPG: Harden, 1.9
BPG: Jones, 1.8
PER: Harden, 26.7
Win Shares: Harden, 16.4

Of Note

• The Mavs expect both Chandler Parsons (knee) and Devin Harris to be ready to play in Game 1.
• The Rockets will be without key contributors, Patrick Beverley (wrist) and Donatas Motiejunas (back), who are both out for the year.
• The last time these teams met in the playoffs, the Mavs came back after dropping the first two games at home to win the series in 7 behind a 40 point win in Game 7.
• The only three players still active from that series: Dirk, Devin Harris and Jason Terry, will all play in the series 
• Dirk (25.6 points and 10.1 rebounds) and Rockets great Hakeem Olajuwon are the only two players since the merger in 1976 to average at least 25 points and 10 rebounds for their playoff career.
• The last time a #2 seed lost to a # 7 seed was in 2010 when the second seeded Mavericks fell to the seventh seeded Spurs.
• In nine playoff games against the Mavs while he played with the Thunder in 2011 and 2012, James Harden averaged 16.1 points, 5.8 rebounds and 3.8 assists.
• In the four regular season meeting between the teams this year, the Rockets outscored the Mavs by a total of two points. All four games came on the second night of a back-to-back for Dallas.
• Rick Carlisle and Rockets Coach Kevin McHale were teammates for three seasons with the Celtics, during which the team made three Finals and won a championship in 1986.
• In the four games against the Rockets this year, Al-Farouq Aminu averaged 9.0 points, 7.0 rebounds and 3.0 blocks in 26.0 minutes per game.

Series Prediction
This is as good a matchup as the Mavericks could have hoped for in the opening round. Though the Rockets rebounding and three point shooting can give the Mavs plenty of trouble, Houston is a team the Mavs have shown they can play with consistently. The coaching edge should be a big for the Mavs as well. The health of Parsons is a question mark, but if he is able to play at an effective level this could be a classic series. I think this is a series that could easily go either way, but I feel like the Mavericks experience and a strong series from Dirk will carry the day.
Mavs in Seven