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Mavs harass Yao, sink Rockets

(AP)
Updated: 2006-03-22 14:00

Yao scored 27 in the first half of his previous game against the Mavericks. They switched to this same strategy in the second half of that game, then picked up where they left off from the opening tip.

In the first half, Yao made only two of 10 shots and never made it to the foul line. After going 1-for-1 in third quarter, he took the first shot of the fourth quarter and had it blocked by Dallas center Erick Dampier.

"They put a lot of pressure on me," Yao said.

Rockets rookie Luther Head scored 16 points, Rafer Alston had 13 and Juwan Howard scored 11.

Nowitzki, who tied his season high with 37 points Sunday, already was leading the Mavs with 16 points through three quarters, then scored their first 12 points of the final period. They didn't get a point from anyone else until Jerry Stackhouse hit a pair of free throws with 4:04 left.

Stackhouse had 16 points and five assists, and Jason Terry scored 12. Dampier had nine points and nine rebounds.

Dallas followed a season-low 10-point first quarter Sunday in New Jersey with 20 points in the opening period, then grabbed control with a 12-2 run in the second quarter. Stackhouse closed the half with a buzzer-beating 3-pointer.

The lead hit 20 in the third quarter.