McGrady, Rockets Soar Past Mavericks, 98-86

The crowd-pleasing baskets by Tracy McGrady were expected. The clutch baskets by Mike James and Jon Barry? Well, that’s why McGrady feels so good about his chances of finally winning a playoff series.

McGrady scored the majority of his 34 points during the first three quarters while the Houston Rockets were building a big lead, then James and Barry helped protect it in the final quarter, preserving a 98-86 victory over the Dallas Mavericks in Game 1 of their first-round Western Conference series Saturday at Dallas.

McGrady’s early baskets, highlighted by a long three-pointer with the shot clock about to expire and Dirk Nowitzki’s hand in his face, helped Houston take a 19-point lead early in the second quarter.

The Rockets led by double-digits until the closing minutes of the third, then the Mavericks got to within 75-71 with 9:16 left.

James, the only player on either roster with a championship ring, having won with Detroit last season, scored Houston’s next three baskets. Barry followed with a three-point basket and the Rockets led, 84-73, with 5:52 to play.

Counting a surge to close the regular season, Houston has now won eight in a row. This was the most significant because it takes away the Mavericks’ home-court advantage.

Seattle 87, Sacramento 82 -- The SuperSonics blew a 21-point second-half lead at Seattle but held on with key baskets in the closing seconds by Ray Allen and Jerome James.

Cuttino Mobley scored 16 of his 22 points in the second half for the Kings. His jumper with 1:10 to play pulled them within four, 83-79, and he made a three-pointer with 42.4 seconds left to make it 83-82.

But the SuperSonics answered, getting James open for a layup with 25 seconds to play.

Allen scored 28 points and James had 17 points and a career-high 15 rebounds.

Detroit 106, Philadelphia 85 -- Allen Iverson had 30 points and 10 assists, and Chris Webber scored 27, but that wasn’t nearly enough for the 76ers in the opener of the Eastern Conference series at Auburn Hills, Mich.

The 76ers built a 16-point lead in the first quarter before the Pistons went ahead for good late in the second.

Antonio McDyess scored 13 of his 15 points in the quarter to lead the comeback. Rasheed Wallace scored 24 of his 29 points in the second half for Detroit. Ben Wallace tied a Piston playoff record with seven blocks.

Boston 102, Indiana 82 -- Raef LaFrentz set a club playoff record by making all five of his three-point attempts to help the Celtics rout the Pacers in their Eastern Conference playoff opener at Boston.

The Celtics who got the lopsided victory after a horrible start in which they missed 12 of their first 13 shots. But they made 20 of their 31 shots the rest of the half, outscored the Pacers, 39-11, in the second quarter and led 57-31 at intermission.

LaFrentz led the Celtics with 21 points and broke the record for three-pointers set by Scott Wedman in Game 1 of the 1985 NBA finals, won by the Lakers.

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Saying his bruised right thigh still hampers his mobility, Miami center Shaquille O’Neal returned to practice -- yet was coyly noncommittal about whether he’ll play when the Heat open its Eastern Conference quarterfinal series today against the New Jersey Nets.

O’Neal was injured a week ago and hadn’t been on the court since, sitting out the last two regular-season games.

“You’ve got to start off in the right way,” O’Neal said. “I’ve never missed a playoff game, I don’t think. This is the first time where I’m going in iffy-iffy.”