Rockets at Mavericks final score: Houston holds on 117-115

Chandler Parsons had 26 points, five assists and four rebounds, helping the Houston Rockets hold off a late rally and defeat the Dallas Mavericks 117-115 at the American Airlines Center in Dallas, Texas Wednesday night.

Dwight Howard scored 21 points and went nine-of-11 from the free throw, foiling the Mavericks’ “Hack-A-Howard” strategy and helping the Rockets survive a huge game from Dirk Nowitzki. Nowitzki had 38 points and 17 rebounds.

The Rockets held a 116-104 lead with just 2:53 to play after Jeremy Lin hit a driving layup, but the Mavericks began to rally. Vince Carter was fouled shooting a three-pointer and hit all three free throws. After three consecutive stops, Devin Harris duplicated Carter’s feat to cut the lead to six. After Donatas Motiejunas was fouled and made just one free throw, Carter buried a three. Parsons missed a jumper and Howard fouled Nowitzki, who hit both free throws, cutting the lead to two. Aaron Brooks then lost the ball out of bounds, but Jose Calderon missed a pair of potential game-winning three-pointers.

Lin added 18 points, seven rebounds and seven assists while Terrence Jones scored 16.

Nowitzki was the only starter in double figures, but the bench flourished – Carter finished with 22, Harris had 14 and DeJaun Blair scored 13.

The Rockets improve to 31-17 while the Mavericks fall to 26-21.