Avoiding the sweep: It's hard to beat any NBA team in consecutive games. The team that lost the first meeting tends to play with greater desperation and the team that won the first game sometimes feels like its playing with house money. Don't expect Houston to ease off the gas pedal, however. And it remains to be seen if the Mavericks have another level of desperation in them. They haven't played badly through two games. And the effort level is fine. But this is a bottom-line business and so far, the ledger looks bleak. It's time to put the execution back into their arsenal.
What to watch for: Grit and defending the 3-point arc will be pivotal for Mavericks to avoid Rockets sweep
