Terry shows he still has fuel for big games at expense of former team
Jason Terry has a knack for stepping up big in important games, especially in the playoffs.
The Mavericks know that, Terry got his first taste of the playoffs with Dallas in 2005 and would go on to help win an NBA championship in 2011 during his eight years with the team. Now, as a member of the Houston Rockets, Terry is showing he still has fuel in "the Jet" at the expense of his former team in the first round of the 2015 playoffs.
"This is the time of year where he has always played his best," Mavericks head coach Rick Carlisle said.
Much of the Rockets' win Saturday night was attributed to the quick start on offense, the 37-year-old Terry was the spark plug to get the scoring started early with his seven first quarter points while obtaining two defensive rebounds and a steal off Mavericks forward Dirk Nowitzki. Terry finished the game with 16 points, 4 rebounds, and 2 steals over 26 minutes.
"You got to understand this is the playoffs, we're at home. We must come out and maintain a certain level of intensity," Terry said. "It's my job as a point guard to set the tone for us."
While Terry looked to have some extra motivation and intensity playing his former team, he said that is just how he handles the playoffs, no matter the opponent.
"Regardless of who the opponent is, it's the same old hat for me. This is my time of year," Terry said. "You play 82 games to get to this point. It doesn't matter who the opponent is. It just so happens to be the Mavericks. I know that team very well and they know us just as well. It's a rivalry, but at the same time we have a job to do and we understand that."
Several members of the Mavericks know what Terry can do with his ability to play well in the spotlight, including Nowitzki, who wasn't surprised by Terry's big game even in his 16th year in the NBA.
"[Terry] just did what he does," Nowitzki said. "He got them going there in the first quarter. We can't leave him open like that. We know what he can do."
The Mavericks had another former player get the best of them as Corey Brewer, another member of the 2011 championship team, was the closer in the fourth quarter for the Rockets scoring 13 of his 15 points in the final minutes of the game.
"[Brewer] is our energy guy. He is the guy off the bench. He reminds me of myself," Terry said. "He comes in and provides instant energy."
The most important thing for the Rockets, according to Terry, is to repeat the intensity shown in Game 1 to the rest of the series and beyond.
"[Saturday] was the first part of it," Terry said. "We must continue to do the same thing we did and correct some things in Game 2."
Follow Shawn Ramsey on Twitter: @ShawnPRamsey
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