Houston Rockets guard James Harden (13) shoots a three-point basket against Dallas Mavericks guard Monta Ellis (11) and forward Dirk Nowitzki (41) in game three of the first round of the NBA Playoffs at American Airlines Center on Friday. The Rockets beat the Mavs 130-128. Picture: Matthew Emmons-USA TODAY Sports

 

DPA/Los Angeles


Hot-shot James Harden carried the scoring load, Dwight Howard controlled the glass, and the Houston Rockets are in the driver’s seat.
Harden poured in 42 points, Howard pulled down 26 rebounds - both playoff career-highs - and the visiting Rockets survived the Mavericks 130-128 on Friday to grab a commanding 3-0 lead in their Western Conference first-round series.
“James played great. He had a big game when we needed him to play well and Dwight was unreal. He was a beast down there,” Rockets coach Kevin McHale said of his superstars.
“It was a heck of a game if you like offence, not so much if you like defence,” he added. “I knew it would be a dogfight. We got lucky landed the last punch and won the game.”
Josh Smith scored 18 points and fellow-reserve Corey Brewer added 15 for second-seeded Houston, which can sweep the best-of-seven- series Sunday in Dallas.
The Rockets have history on their side, because no team has ever rallied to win a playoff series after trailing 3-0.
“We’ve had three good games against them,” said Howard, who added 13 points. “We have to put them away early and not give them any life.”
Monta Ellis and German juggernaut Dirk Nowitzki netted 34 apiece for banged up seventh-seeded Dallas, playing without injured starting forward Chandler Parsons and banned guard Rajon Rondo.
“It’s a game we needed to have, it was a fun game to be part of with shot-making and play-making all over the place,” Nowitzki said. “We just kept coming back and had a chance to tie it at the buzzer.
“It ranks up there with one of the worst playoff losses of my long playoff career.”
Dallas will look to avoid elimination.
“We keep losing manpower but we’re fighting our butts off,” Mavs  coach Rick Carlisle said. “And we’ll be fighting our butts off on Sunday.”
The Rockets led 112-101 four minutes into the fourth quarter but the Mavs refused to quit. Two Nowitzki free throws pulled them to within 124-123 with 1:13 remaining.
Harden drove the left side for a layup and the ensuing free throw after drawing the foul, giving the Rockets a 127-123 advantage with 56.8 seconds remaining.
But Harden fouled Nowitzki on a three-point attempt, and the Mavs star hit all three free throws to pull the hosts within a point.     
Harden then hit a step-back jumper over Tyson Chandler that bounced high off the rim and kissed the backboard before falling through, for a 129-126 advantage with 12.7 ticks left.
A driving scoop layup off the glass by Ellis brought the Mavs to within one again. Dallas had a final shot after Brewer missed the second of two free throws with 6.8 seconds left.
Instead of going to Nowitzki, who had 16 fourth-quarter points, Carlisle went with Ellis, but his potential game-tying straightaway jumper over Smith missed badly at the buzzer.
“Since coming here two years ago, he’s been our go-to guy,” Nowitzki said. “Monta had to go one-on-one against a guy who is long and quick. Unfortunately, for us the ball didn’t go in.”
Elsewhere: San Antonio Spurs 100, LA Lakers 73: Freshly-minted NBA Defensive Player of the Year Kawhi Leonard dropped in 11 of his career-high 32 points in a decisive 13-2 third quarter blitz, and reigning NBA Champ Spurs crushed the cold-shooting visiting Clippers to take a 2-1 lead in their Western Conference opening round series.
“We’re not that good and they’re not what you saw tonight,” Spurs coach Gregg Popovich said after the spanking. “They couldn’t throw it in the ocean tonight and we were hot as heck.”
Blake Griffin collected 14 points, 10 rebounds and five assists for the second-Clippers, who set a playoff-lows for shooting percentage (34) and points.
“We got our butts kicked,” Clippers coach Doc Rivers said. “They played terrific basketball and we didn’t.”
San Antonio hosts pivotal game 4 today.
* Washington Wizards 106, Toronto Raptors 99: Paul Pierce scored eight of his 18 points in the final two minutes, and the Wizards beat the visiting Raptors to grab a commanding 3-0 lead in the opening round of their Eastern Conference series.
The Wizards can sweep the series in Sunday’s game 4 at home.