JASON TERRY scored 31 points, and Dirk Nowitzki added 24 points and 12 rebounds in the Mavericks’ 96-86 victory over the Rockets in Houston on Wednesday.

Yao Ming, Houston’s top scorer, missed the game because of a sore left foot. Josh Howard, the Mavs’ second-leading scorer, was inactive because of a left ankle injury.

Terry immediately made up for Howard’s absence, hitting his first seven shots and scoring 18 points in the first half. He started his big night by sinking his first shot nine seconds after coming off the bench in the first quarter.

Jason Kidd had eight points, nine rebounds and seven assists for the Mavericks, who have won three in a row and 11 of the last 14 meetings with their in-state division rivals.

Tracy McGrady scored 16 points and Ron Artest added 14 for the Rockets, who shot 37 percent (29-of-78) from the field, including 6-for-25 from 3-point range. McGrady and Artest, both nursing injuries, each went 5-for-14 from the field.

“Throughout the game, we had some easy shots,” said McGrady, hobbled again by a sore left knee. “Our offense was there, but we had some shots and we didn’t make them.”

Without Yao to anchor each possession, the Rockets looked disjointed all night and shot 35 percent through the first three quarters.

“When you don’t have Yao, you’ve got to move the ball and you have to create situations,” Houston coach Rick Adelman said. “We don’t have a lot of guys who can break you down off the dribble.”

Houston was lucky to trail by only 11 after the third quarter, and backup point guard Aaron Brooks hit two 3-pointers early in the fourth to help the Rockets pull within three.

But Terry hit a short jumper, Kidd swished a 3 and Terry converted a 3-point play after McGrady’s miss to restore Dallas’ double-digit cushion.

Dallas was shooting 68 percent (21-of-31) with three minutes left in the half. The Rockets were shooting only 44 percent (16-of-38) after McGrady missed an alley-oop dunk off a feed from Alston.

“We didn’t have good movement,” Adelman said. “And if we did get shots, we didn’t make them.”

Dallas led 53-46 at the break and started the third quarter 2-for-8. But the Rockets missed their first seven shots and quickly trailed by 10.

Alston ended Houston’s field-goal drought with a drive with 6:13 left in the third quarter to cut the Mavs’ lead to 59-52. With no Yao to block him, Nowitzki answered with two turnaround jumpers over Luis Scola.

Dallas led 72-61 after Houston had its worst shooting quarter of the season, going 2-for-17 from the field.(SD-Agencies)