Mavericks-Rockets Preview After winning the NBA title last season, the Dallas Mavericks are struggling to stay in playoff position in the crowded Western Conference. 作为卫冕冠军的达拉斯小牛队，在今年的西区季後赛的 激烈竞争中似乎摇摇欲坠。 Their next opponent has a vested interest in those woes continuing. 而他们下一场比赛的对手正是西区混乱集团的一份子。 The Mavericks will try to avoid their second three-game skid this month when they visit the Houston Rockets in the teams' first meeting this season. 小牛希望要避免这个月第二次的三连败，明天他们将要 做客挑战休士顿火箭，这是两队本次首度交手。 Dallas entered the All-Star break vying for a top four seed in the West, but has gone 6-9 since returning. 小牛在明星赛前还在西区前四的竞争行列中，不过在明 星赛之後只打出6胜9败的成绩。 The Mavericks had a four-game win streak snapped Wednesday by the Los Angeles Lakers before falling 104-87 at San Antonio on Friday. Dallas (27-22) is among six teams within one game of each other fighting for the final five playoff spots. 而小牛之前的四连胜又在对上洛杉矶湖人时被终结，今 天则是以87-104败给圣安东尼奥马刺。战绩27胜22败的 小牛目前排在西区第六，不过在西区的四到九名差距仅 有半场胜差，後五个季後赛席位竞争相当激烈。 Poor defense has been to blame for the last two defeats. After allowing the Lakers to shoot 58.4 percent, the Spurs shot 48.9 and outscored the Mavericks 50-16 in the paint. 糟糕的防守是二连败的主因，败给湖人的比赛中对手的 命中率高达58.4%，今天则是让马刺的命中率有48.9%， 并且在禁区得分上马刺也以50-16大胜。 Dirk Nowitzki had one of his worst games of the season Friday, finishing with 16 points on 5-of-21 shooting. His two rebounds matched his lowest total of the season. Dirk Nowitzki打出了本季最糟糕的比赛之一，投21中5 攻下16分，只抓下2篮板也是本季最低。 "I had a brutal night," he told the league's official website. "During the middle of the game, I just could not get the ball to the rim. A lot of my shots were short. I did not have enough to get the ball in tonight." Dirk在官网的访谈中说："我今晚真是惨不忍睹，我在比 赛中就是进不了球，我很多球都投短了，怎麽投都投不 进。" Dallas didn't have much depth inside behind Nowitzki, who didn't have a rebound through the first three quarters. Brendan Haywood sat out his fourth straight game with a sprained right knee while Lamar Odom did not play due to a coach's decision. Dirk前三节都没抓下篮板，而小牛的内线又缺人手，中 锋Brendan Haywood因为右膝扭伤连续缺阵四场，Lamar Odom则是因为教练调度的关系没上。 "It's something that I talked to Lamar about both yesterday and today," coach Rick Carlisle said. "That I was going to look at a different rotation tonight." 小牛教练Rick Carlisle说："我这两天有跟Odom谈过， 我们今天要测试不同的轮替阵容。" San Antonio outrebounded the Mavericks 54-34 after Los Angeles had a 46-29 advantage on the glass. 小牛今天在篮板球以34-54大败，输给湖人的比赛中则是 29-46的差距。 Those struggles inside could be an issue against Houston, which took advantage of its last opponent in the paint. 而内线的问题会是对上火箭的大麻烦，火箭昨天才用内 线的优势击垮对手。 The Rockets (26-22) are trying to stay among the top eight spots in the West despite missing two starters from their backcourt. 战绩26胜22败的火箭也希望能挤进西区前八，尽管他们 缺了两名先发後场大将。 Houston followed Tuesday's victory over the Lakers with another solid defensive effort in a 109-83 win over Golden State on Thursday. 火箭先是在之前打败了湖人，昨天又以坚强的防守让来 访的金州勇士以83-109惨败。 It was the fourth time in five games the Rockets held an opponent under 100 points after giving up 108.3 over the previous eight. 火箭在最近五场比赛中有四场失分不到100，在更之前 的八场比赛他们平均失分却高达108.3分。 "Every team has an identity and every team has strengths and weaknesses," coach Kevin McHale said. "We are able to cover up our weaknesses better now. I think we are more aware of exactly what we are doing and we are taking away, for the most part, the easy baskets continually." 火箭教练Kevin McHale说："每支球队都有他的特性， 都有长处与短处。我认为我们对於自己的打法相当了 解，所以常常有轻松的进球。" The defensive improvement can be credited in part to the play inside. On Thursday, Chandler Parsons had 20 points and 11 rebounds and Samuel Dalembert added 15 points and 10 boards. 他们的好防守可以归功於内线的活跃，昨天Chandler Parsons攻下20分11篮板，Samuel Dalembert则是攻下 15分10篮板。 Dalembert has averaged 12.3 points and 8.5 rebounds in the last 11 games. Dalembert在最近11场比赛中平均可以得到12.3分8.5篮 板。 "Sammy's been really good," McHale said. "When you get Marcus Camby, Patrick (Patterson) and (Luis) Scola working on the defense, and those bigs are active like that, it gives us a huge different look." McHale说："Dalembert最近打的很不错，当你的防守系 统有Marcus Camby、Patrick Patterson与Luis Scola 时，这些机动性强的长人，让我们的阵容出现很大的变 化。" The Rockets have lost four straight to the Mavericks and seven of nine, but the last three meetings have been decided by an average of 5.3 points. 火箭目前对小牛吞下对战的四连败，最近的九次对战也 失了七场，不过最近的三场输球中平均只输了5.3分。 Kyle Lowry (bacterial infection) and Kevin Martin (shoulder) both sat out Thursday and McHale said there is no timetable for their return. 受到细菌感染的Kyle Lowry和肩膀受伤的Kevin Martin 都因伤缺席了昨天的比赛，而McHale说他们的归期都未 定。 接下来连两场打火箭真的很重要啊 希望明天可以止败 不然就要掉到第九了... Let's Go Mavs!! --

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