Dirk Nowitzki and Monta Ellis did everything they could on Friday to win a game at home, with 34 points apiece, but when Ellis' final jumper clanged off rim the Mavericks were down 0-3 in a tight but decisive first-round series.
Rockets vs. Mavericks Game 4, NBA playoffs 2015: Time, TV schedule and live stream
Houston can finish a Dallas sweep with a win.
Now the Houston Rockets get a chance to close the series out in Dallas and earn some well-deserved rest before a crash with whichever Western Conference heavyweight comes out of the Spurs vs. Clippers series. The No. 2 seed Rockets lucked out that Chandler Parsons has missed the series (after playing Game 1), and the failure of the Rajon Rondo trade finally came to a culmination in Game 2. But against a division rival, there's no room for sympathy.
After two wins fueled more by their role players, the Rockets' stars came alive in Game 3 to power them to a high-octane win. James Harden went for 42 points and nine assists while Dwight Howard posted a hefty 13-point, 26-rebound double-double in the 130-128 win on Friday. Mavericks coach Rick Carlisle said he changed the coverages on Harden for that game, intending to key in on the secondary pieces who had killed them so far in the series, but given the final score any defensive scheme Dallas brought in clearly failed.
If the Mavericks were healthier or more cohesive, you’d certainly expect them to show up for their home fans in the American Airlines Center. They still may, but the Rockets will be just as keen about finishing this first-round series now without letting it linger.
Here’s how to watch Sunday:
Time: 9 p.m. ET
TV: TNT
Online: Watch TNT
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