Mavericks-Rockets Preview James Harden helped the Houston Rockets to their first division title since 1994 and the second seed in the Western Conference playoffs starting Saturday against Dallas. James Harden帮助休士顿火箭拿到自从1994年以来首次的分组冠军，名列 西区第二种子的他们首轮将碰上达拉斯小牛。 But the MVP candidate isn't content with what the Rockets have accomplished this season. Harden is "very motivated" to do more this postseason after being eliminated in the first round of the playoffs in each of his first two seasons in Houston. 身为MVP候选人之一的Harden对火箭本季的成就还不满足，在加入火箭的两 年中，他都於首轮就被淘汰，因此很想在季後赛大显身手。 "I feel like we've got a great opportunity," Harden said. "We've got the right guys in this locker room to get it done and go further than that." Harden说："我觉得我们的机会很好，球队气氛很棒，希望季後赛能走的更 远。" Seeded eighth in 2013, the Rockets weren't expected to get past the Thunder, who beat them in six games, but being ousted by underdog Portland in the opening round last season stung a whole lot more. 两年前是第八种子的火箭，本来就不被看好能打败第一的奥克拉荷马雷霆， 他们在六场比赛後败下阵来。但是去年在第一轮就在第六场被波特兰拓荒者 打回家，震惊了不少人。 The Rockets lost the first two games at home to the Trail Blazers before coming back only to lose the series on a last-second 3-pointer by Damian Lillard in Game 6. Houston had the lead with less than a second to go in that game before Lillard's dagger at the buzzer. 火箭去年在前两场主场都输给拓荒者，不过最後拼战到第六战的最後一秒 才败给Damian Lillard的再见三分。 Houston center Dwight Howard didn't want to talk about that series much, preferring to look ahead. But he did discuss what he learned from it. "Anything can happen in 0.9 seconds," Howard said. 火箭中锋Dwight Howard不想再谈那个系列赛，他希望向前看，不过他谈到 他得到的教训，他说："0.9秒内可以发生任何事。" Coach Kevin McHale said there's no sense in discussing last year's early ouster and that what happened then has no effect on this postseason. 火箭教练Kevin McHale说讨论去年的提早出局对於今年季後赛没有太大的 帮助。 "You can't play that game anymore and you can't play that series anymore," McHale said. "You can't do anything with that stuff, now it's just about (Saturday) ... If you drive in your rearview mirror you run into a lot of stuff in front of you -- I've noticed that." 他说："去年的比赛已经不能再打一次了，我们应该着眼於明天的比赛，我 发现如果你一直看着过去，会在现在遇到很多困难。" This year they face a Dallas team that earned the No. 7 seed. It's the first time they've met in the playoffs since Houston 4-3 in the first round in 2005. 今年，他们碰上第七种子小牛，这是两队自从2005年的第一轮之後首次碰头， 那时小牛以4-3获胜晋级。 Dirk Nowitzki, who was part on that team, isn't sure how much of a rivalry it is anymore. But he added that the matchup might have gained a little intensity because of trash talk over the past year between Mavericks owner Mark Cuban and Houston general manager Daryl Morey. Dirk Nowitzki是仅存的小牛球员，不知道两队还算不算是世仇，不过两队近 年来的火药味十足，因为小牛老板Mark Cuban与火箭GM Daryl Morey时常隔空 交火。 "It's more a rivalry since Cuban and what's his face went back and forth a little bit -- Morey," Nowitzki said. "But I don't think if you play a team once in the playoffs in 10 years, you can't really speak of a rivalry. Both teams are in Texas. Both teams want to win the first round." Dirk说："对於Cuban跟Morey来说可能比较像是世仇，但我想我们在10年内的 季後赛都没相遇过，应该没有太大的仇视心理。纯粹就是两队都在第一轮，也 想继续晋级。" Here are some things to know entering the series. 以下是几大看点： HOWARD'S HEALTH Howard has played nine games since missing almost two months with swelling in his right knee and is feeling good. The Rockets have been steadily increasing his minutes since his return and McHale expects him to play around 30 minutes early in the series. "When I'm out there I've got to play hard," Howard said. "It doesn't matter how many minutes I play. As long as I'm out there playing hard and dominating the paint we should have a great chance to win." Howard的健康状况 Howard在因为右膝肿胀缺席两个月之後归队打了九场，感觉还不错。火箭逐渐 在增加他的时间，McHale希望系列赛初期他能上场30分钟。Howard表示："不论 我打多久，当我上场时我就会全力以赴。只要我上场努力统治禁区，我们就有 很大的赢球机会。" ROLE REVERSAL Ten years ago Jason Terry was the starting point guard for Dallas against Houston in the playoffs. This year he's starting for Houston against the team he won a championship with 2011. Terry signed with the Rockets this offseason hoping to return to the postseason and expected to provide depth off the bench. Instead, Patrick Beverley had season-ending wrist surgery, and the 37-year-old Terry was thrust into the starting lineup again. "Good thing we've got a good group around me and it ain't just me by myself," Terry said. "So I'm prepared." 角色转换 十年前，小牛对上火箭的系列赛中，Jason Terry是他们的先发控球後卫， 今年他身在火箭，将要对上曾在2011年一起夺冠的小牛队。Jet今年与火箭 签约就是为了提升板凳深度，而事实上，因为Patrick Beverley动了手腕手 术缺席接下来的比赛，Jet又成为了先发球员。Terry说："好消息是我们是 个很好的团队，我不需要单打独斗，我准备好了。" EXPERIENCE COUNTS The Mavericks have five players on their roster with 10 or more years in the NBA, led by Nowitzki, who is in his 16th season. But Dallas coach Rick Carlisle isn't sure they'll have the edge in that area with Houston's roster also featuring quite a few veterans. "People are going to be trying to come up with things about who's got the edge," he said. "It's the team that creates the edge by playing the best. That's what it's going to be." 经验很重要 小牛有五位球员有十年以上的年资，最资深的是进入NBA第16年的Dirk，不 过小牛教练Rick Carlisle不认为这在对火箭时有很大的优势。他说："人们 都在讨论两队在什麽地方占优势，但其实打的好的队伍就会占优势，就是这 样而已。" IRON MAN Josh Smith started the season with Detroit before he was released and signed by the Rockets. Because of the timing of his change he was the only player in the league to play 83 games this season. "I'm trying to see how that goes with the check situation," Smith joked. "I played an extra game -- (maybe) I should get a little overtime." Smith played a major role for the Rockets when Howard was out, and has averaged 12 points and six rebounds off the bench in Houston. It's a bit of vindication for Smith, who was derided for being a negative influence in Detroit when he was cut. "I feel like it's funny because people want to try to highlight negativity and not when things turn around," he said. "Us winning the division and me being on this team, it goes (unnoticed)." 钢铁人 Josh Smith在底特律活塞开季，後来遭到释出之後加入火箭，因为赛程的 缘故，他成为本季唯一上场83场的球员。他开玩笑说："我想知道这样我的 薪水要怎麽算。我多打了一场，所以应该有加班费吧。"Smith在Howard缺 席时扮演重要的角色，他加入火箭之後从板凳出发，平均可以拿到12分6篮 板的成绩，季初活塞认为他会对球队带来负面影响而把他裁掉。他说："我 认为很好笑，大家都会在球队战绩不好时找战犯，但当我加入火箭并且球 队拿下分组冠军之後，大家就不说话了。" WILL PARSONS PLAY? Chandler Parsons hopes to play Saturday despite missing the last six games with a knee injury. Parsons is in his first season with the Mavericks after spending his first three seasons with the Rockets. Though he's still friendly with many of the Rockets, Howard said that Parsons will be "an enemy" in this series. Parsons能打吗？ Chandler Parsons明天希望能上场，但他已经因为膝盖伤势缺席了之前的 六场比赛。Parsons的生涯前三年都在火箭，今年他来到小牛，尽管他还是 跟许多火箭球员保持友善的态度，但Howard说这个系列赛他们是敌对的关 系。 明天就是Game 1了 全力以赴吧!! Let's Go Mavs!! --

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