Mavericks hold off Rockets, take 3-2 lead
(Agencies)
Updated: 2005-05-03 16:30

Minutes away from finally leading their first-round playoff series, the Dallas Mavericks proved they deserved it.

Keeping alive rebounds, diving for loose balls and making clutch shot after clutch shot, Dirk Nowitzki and the Mavericks held off a late charge by Houston and pulled out a 103-100 victory Monday night, putting them ahead 3-2 in a series they trailed 0-2 after their last game in Dallas.

After overcoming fourth-quarter deficits of eight and six points to win the last two games, the Mavs led by 11 just seconds into the final period this time. But Tracy McGrady and Yao Ming rallied the Rockets, combining for their last 13 points and getting them within two with 7.4 seconds left.

Dallas Mavericks guard Jerry Stackhouse (C) scrambles with Houston Rockets center Yao Ming (L) and guard David Wesley for a loose ball during second half action in Game 5 of the 2005 NBA Western Conference quarterfinals, in Dallas, Texas May 2, 2005. Dallas defeated Houston 103-100 to lead the best-of-seven series 3-2. [Reuters]

Jason Terry scrambled to grab an inbounds pass, was fouled and made one of two foul shots to restore a three-point cushion. Dallas immediately fouled McGrady on the ensuing inbounds pass and he missed both foul shots — the second intentionally — but got his own rebound and put up a 3-pointer from the left corner that could have tied it. It missed and time expired with McGrady on the ground, practically under some courtside seats.

Home fans were happy for the first time this series and now Dallas has two chances to join the 1969 Lakers and '94 Rockets as the only teams to win a seven-game series after dropping the first two at home. Mavs fans will be glad to know those Lakers and Rockets squads were propelled by home wins in Game 5s.

Head coach Jeff Van Gundy of the Houston Rockets talks with Yao Ming during the game against the Dallas Mavericks in Game two of the Western Conference Quarterfinals during the 2005 NBA Playoffs, 25 April 2005 at the American Airlines Center in Dallas, Texas.[AFP]

Game 6 is Thursday night in Houston, and Rockets coach Jeff Van Gundy may have more on the line than just trying to force a seventh game. He was fined $100,000 earlier Monday for accusing officials of targeting Yao and refusing to tell the league which official was his source.

Commissioner David Stern, who coincidentally attended this game, called the largest fine ever levied against an NBA coach only "an intermediary step" and said an investigation will continue — once the Rockets finish their playoff run. Stern even implied that Van Gundy could face a lifetime ban.

Van Gundy laughed off the entire case and Yao offered to pay half the fine.

Yao scored 15 of his 30 points in the fourth quarter, making 6-of-7 shots and getting to the foul line on the one he missed. However, he was just 3-of-8 from the line in the period, with all five misses in a row. He also had four fouls, matching his fewest of the series. He didn't get his first until seconds into the second quarter and had just one in the second half.

McGrady scored 25 points, his lowest this series, but added nine rebounds, six assists, three steals and two blocks. Mike James added 16 in a reserve role.

The Rockets never led in the second half and their biggest lead was just one point. But a spurt of eight straight points that ended with a 3-pointer by Jon Barry with 3:22 left kept this one interesting until the final buzzer.

The difference was Dallas' determination, best exemplified by two plays after that.

Barry had a rebound poked away by Michael Finley with just under a minute left. The play was very similar to McGrady's lost ball in the closing seconds of Game 4 on a poke by Josh Howard. This time, Jerry Stackhouse grabbed it, was fouled and hit both shots for a 99-94 lead.

After Yao dunked the rebound of a miss by McGrady, the Mavericks ran down the shot clock, then Terry put up a wild layup. Nowitzki caught the carom and threw it in to keep the lead at five with 20.2 seconds left.

Nowitzki still hasn't come out of his series-long scoring funk, making just 9-of-22 shots, but he led Dallas with 23 points and 13 rebounds. He had four steals, all in the third quarter.

Terry, coming off a 32-point game, scored nine of his 13 in the final period, including a 29-footer. Stackhouse and Howard both scored 17, Finley had 12 and Marquis Daniels added 11.

Houston's Bob Sura — who missed a morning shootaround, instead getting an IV treatment at a hospital to help battle flu-like symptoms — had seven points in 23 minutes.

Houston's last lead was 40-39 with 3:14 left in the second quarter, then Dallas went on a 13-4 run, capped by Stackhouse tying up Dikembe Mutombo on a rebound, beating him on a jump ball and swishing a 3 with 2.1 seconds left.

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