http://www.thestate.com/mld/thestate/11458661.htm Posted on Fri, Apr. 22, 2005 Rockets, Mavs have a lot in common JAIME ARON Associated Press DALLAS - With seven straight wins, the Houston Rockets would be going into the playoffs with the best streak in the NBA if it weren't for one team - the one they're playing, the Dallas Mavericks, winners of nine in a row. And that's just the start of the similarities between these teams going into Game 1 on Saturday in the first-round series. Some things to ponder about this matchup of Interstate 45 rivals: _Both teams are benefiting from system changes that many casual NBA fans will have to see to believe. The Mavericks no longer talk about defense. Now, they actually play it. Words turned to action last summer with the arrival of center Erick Dampier to clog the middle. In training camp, then-assistant coach Avery Johnson began running practices and emphasizing defense. He replaced Don Nelson as head coach in mid-March and the Mavs are 16-2, allowing 92.3 points per game, about 5 less than Nelson's tenure. "There's no other way to play the game," Johnson said Thursday, hours after being named Western Conference coach of the month for April. "You need defense to have good teams." The opposite emphasis has happened in Houston. Defensive-minded coach Jeff Van Gundy no longer minds seeing his players shoot, shoot and shoot some more. Early this season, the Rockets were still trying to grind out games by keeping opponents below 90 points while getting accustomed to having an elite scorer such as Tracy McGrady in the lineup. Then, everything clicked. They're 31-12 since mid-January and averaging 105.4 points during their current winning streak. "I like our team," Van Gundy said. "We're going to get ready and we're going to play all-out and play with belief." _Both teams have superstar scorers who are excelling thanks largely to their nice, new mix of complementary players. For Houston, it's guards David Wesley, Jon Barry, Mike James and Bob Sura feeding off McGrady. It's no coincidence that Houston's surge began about two weeks after Wesley and Barry arrived. McGrady missed the season finale Wednesday night because of back pain, but teammates expect him to be ready Saturday. "We're awfully good when we do the right things and we've shown signs of doing that," Barry said. "If we play well, I like our chances." Dallas' offense is led by Dirk Nowitzki, but his co-captain Michael Finley remains a threat and there are proven scorers coming off the bench in Jerry Stackhouse and Keith Van Horn. Point guard Jason Terry hasn't exactly made Mavs fans forget Steve Nash, but the dropoff hasn't been severe. Terry has begun to emerge through extra work with Johnson, himself a former point guard. "He's helped me advance my game and prolong my career," Terry said. Add in Dampier and rookie Devin Harris and the majority of Johnson's top nine players weren't on the roster last postseason, when the Mavs were ousted by Sacramento in the first round. "We need everybody playing at a high level," Nowitzki said. "It's going to be a battle." _The newest member to each team's rotation was acquired at the trade deadline and he brought along recent Finals experience. James has the honor for the Rockets after playing on Detroit's championship team last season. For the Mavs, it's Van Horn, who was with New Jersey three years ago when they lost to the Lakers. Now the really weird part: James and Van Horn were teammates this season in Milwaukee until Feb. 24, when they were sent to Texas in separate deals. All in all, this seems like a great matchup, one with fitting balance for a series between the fourth and fifth seeds. Add in the geographic rivalry and the fact their only previous playoff meeting was in 1988 and there's even more to like. Yet there's another interesting subplot worth exploring - a season series that saw each team win once at home and on the road, with Dallas winning the first two and Houston the last two. The first game was a classic, with Nowitzki scoring a franchise-record 53 points and McGrady having 47 in an overtime shootout. Nine days later, the Mavericks cruised to victory. The Rockets were even more impressive in their wins, scoring 124 points in Dallas then allowing just 69 at home. The 124 matched the most the Mavs gave up all season and the 69 was their lowest they'd scored in several years, although it came with Nowitzki, Finley and Dampier all out of the lineup. There's so much for the coaches to consider. As Johnson prepares for his first playoff game in charge, he was asked about his top concern. "Right now," he said, "you lose sleep over everything."
sorry to go off topic but this is the best quote i have seen so far from the classic moments comments. Get over it. I have very good sources. Mings not coming to the Rockets. And yes Dunleavy would suit our needs better than Ming." - TroyBaros, 4/12/2002
the only tough competition they had during that 9 game streak was the Spurs and Seattle twice. We beat Phoenix, whipped the Sonics once and destroyed them in a meaningless game, and destroyed a 'hot' Denver team. We also play defense.
Putting in Yao would make the comparison weak -- there would not be a lot "in common" between the two teams.
That's not funny. It's ludicrous. Just kills any legitimacy of the article. Talk about twisting the facts to fit your theory.
How is that changing the facts? i do not understand, he talks about the thing the two teams have in common. why should he also talk about the things they do not have in common?? should he also start to say: a difference is that houston has Yao ming a difference is that the rockets are based in houston and the mavs in dallas a differance is that houston has won 2 championships in the nba and dallas has won 0. The list can go on and on, that would be useless. he talked about the things the two teams have in common, so it is logical that he doesn't mention Yao. BTW he also doesn't mention Braggs
