Not much could have gone better for Houston in Game 1. Instead of relying on the scoring brilliance of James Harden, the Rockets were able to get double-digit outputs from seven different players, including 19 from Terrence Jones, 16 from Jason Terry and 15 from Corey Brewer. Even Dwight Howard, who played just 17 minutes, scored 11 points to go along with five rebounds and five blocks.
Mavericks vs. Rockets, NBA playoffs 2015: Time, TV schedule and how to watch Game 2 online
Dallas tried to even the series at one.
Harden only needed 24 for Houston to notch a 118-108 Game 1 win over the Mavericks at home.
Harden has the ability to be a creator, but so often this season, he hasn’t had that luxury because of Houston’s injuries. On Saturday, with Dallas’ defense keyed in on him, Harden decided to share the ball. He finished with 11 assists and only attempted 11 field goals. Of course, this being James Harden, he also got to the foul line 17 times.
The Mavericks had no answer for him, and likely won't the rest of the series. How they decide to keep guarding him will be interesting to watch. Will Dallas let Harden score as many points as he wants and instead try to prevent his teammates from getting open looks. Or, will Rick Carlisle play the odds and assume that players like Terry and Jones won't continue knocking down their open looks.
It’s a dilemma, one that only players of Harden’s caliber create. Game 2, which takes place Tuesday night in Houston, will give us an idea of how the Mavericks plan to proceed.
How to watch Mavericks at Rockets
Place: Toyota Center
Time: 9:30 p.m. ET
TV: TNT
Online: WatchTNT
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