Hard-working Rockets visit Mavericks tonight

Posted Monday, Nov. 09, 2009 Comments   (0) Print Share Share Reprints
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Rockets at Mavericks

7:30 tonight, American Airlines Center

TV: KTXA/Ch. 21  

Radio: ESPN/103.3 FM, KFLC/1270 AM (Spanish)

Scouting the Rockets

That exchange of free agents in the summer doesn’t look so one-sided early in the season. Trevor Ariza is leading the Rockets in scoring at 20.2 per game and chipping in 4.5 rebounds and 4 assists, numbers that compare favorably to the outgoing Ron Artest. ... Rockets fans are all atwitter with a 4-2 start, but it’s difficult to see the team maintaining that pace with Yao Ming out for many months and Tracy McGrady gone for many weeks. Let’s check the record in a month or so. ... Rookie Chase Budinger, who was on the Mavs’ draft radar, is averaging 10.6 points and shooting 42.1 percent on 3-pointers. ... Aaron Brooks (18.3 points, 7.7 assists) is a key piece of their bright future.

Scouting the Mavericks

They saw the Rockets in preseason, so they know this is a team that works extremely hard for coach Rick Adelman. The good news is that the Mavericks have been playing hard themselves, if not always well. Effort should not be a problem. ... Dirk Nowitzki has had bookend games of 40 and 29 around a 12-pointer in New Orleans in which he fouled out. The Mavericks are 6-16 in games when Nowitzki has been disqualified by fouls. ... The Mavericks are shooting for their fifth win in seven games. They needed 12 games to reach five wins last season. ... Shawn Marion fired in 9 of 11 shots Saturday, the anchor of a team that shot a remarkable 62.4 percent. — Eddie Sefko

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