NBA Game Summary - Dallas at Houston

Houston, TX (Basketball News) - Tracy McGrady poured in a game-high 37 points, and the Houston Rockets snapped a three-game losing streak with a 101-83 victory over the Dallas Mavericks in Game 6 of their first round playoff series.

Brent Barry and Mike James combined to scored 36 points off the bench for the Rockets, who got their first win in this series since taking Games 1 and 2 in Dallas.

Houston took control with a 19-0 run in the fourth quarter, turning a one-point game into a rout. Barry scored 12 of his 14 points in the fourth, and James had nine of his 22 in the period.

"I’m not thinking about the score, I’m just thinking that when I’m on the court I want to play inspired basketball," James said.

"Everyone jumps on [McGrady’s] back, but we have to give him help," James added. "We try to help him with the load. We know he’s going to lead us, but everyone else has to chip in."

The Mavericks were attempting to become just the third team ever to win a playoff series after losing the first two games at home. They will get another chance at home when the teams meet for Game 7 on Saturday.

Jerry Stackhouse scored 21 points to lead Dallas, but had just seven in the second half. Dirk Nowitzki added 19 points on 5-of-22 shooting in the loss, and Mike Finley scored 14.

The Mavericks were just 4-for-27 in the fourth quarter and they went without a field goal for more than seven minutes to end the game — much to the delight of the Toyota Center crowd.

Houston made its run without Yao Ming, who scored just eight points in the game and didn’t play a minute in the fourth quarter.

Dikembe Mutombo contributed strong defense during the burst with Yao on the bench. His shot block of Jason Terry set up a McGrady three-pointer that gave the Rockets a 94-80 lead with 4:12 remaining — probably the dagger that killed Dallas’ chances at a comeback.

James then scored seven straight points over the next 3 1/2 minutes before Devin Harris ended the Mavericks’ drought with three free throws that made it 101-83.

Those were the first Dallas points since a Stackhouse layup with 7:20 remaining capped an 8-0 burst that pulled his team within 82-80.

The Mavericks missed their last 17 field goal attempts after that, including nine three-point tries. They ended just 7-of-26 from beyond the arc, and shot 36 percent for the game.

In the first half, both teams held leads as large as 10 points. But it was Houston which held a 52-45 lead at the break.

McGrady scored 19 of his 37 points in the first half, and James added 13 points in 14 minutes off the bench.

Stackhouse scored 14 first-half points to lead the Mavericks, who led 70-69 heading into the fourth quarter.