HOUSTON (AP) -- The Dallas Mavericks didn’t need a big comeback to win at Houston this time.

Josh Howard scored 23 points and Dirk Nowitzki added 20 as the Mavericks beat the Rockets 96-83 on Saturday night, continuing to dominate their in-state division rival.

Jerry Stackhouse had 17 points for the Mavs, who’ve won six straight meetings with the Rockets and 10 of the last 11. That includes a 100-94 victory on Nov. 21, a game the Rockets led by 17 in the third quarter before the Mavs rallied.

Dallas won more conventionally this time, blowing open a close game with a 26-9 run bridging the third and fourth quarters.

Houston outrebounded Dallas 40-29, but the Mavericks seemed to score on every possession in the final 15 minutes, while the Rockets’ offense floundered with turnovers and bad shots.

The Mavs shot 51 percent (36 of 71) against Houston’s defense, fourth-best in the NBA coming into the game.

Yao Ming had 28 points and 14 rebounds for the Rockets, who’ve lost five of their last eight.

Tracy McGrady bruised his left knee on a drive in the first quarter and was affected the rest of the game. He scored 12 points on 5-for-18 shooting.

Dallas led 23-19 when Nowitzki elbowed Shane Battier in the head as the two went for a rebound. The blow opened a gash and Battier went straight to the bench and grabbed a towel as blood spilled on the floor. Trainer Keith Jones walked Battier to the locker room, where he got four stitches.

With Battier out and Yao and McGrady on the bench early in the second quarter, the Rockets held their own, trailing by no more than five.

The Mavs led 37-32 when McGrady and Battier returned. Battier inbounded the ball off Erick Dampier’s back, got it back and laid it in with 4:41 left in the half.

Dallas went scoreless for 4 minutes and the Rockets took a brief 38-37 lead. Howard sank a free throw, but Battier sank a 3 to put Houston up 41-38 at the break.

McGrady came out for the second half with a black wrap around his left knee. McGrady chatted with the team’s physical therapist, Russ Paine, on the bench before the second half started.

McGrady made his first shot of the third quarter, a mid-range jumper from the wing, to put Houston up 53-51. Devin Harris answered with a 3 and Howard drove for a dunk as Dallas began the decisive spurt.

Stackhouse sank a 3 and dunked after a Houston turnover late in the third quarter. Brandon Bass threw in a hook shot over Yao and Nowitzki sank two free throws early in the fourth quarter to put Dallas up 72-61.

Yao hit a free throw, but Nowitzki scored again as the Mavericks continued to pull away. They hit their first eight shots of the final quarter, while the Rockets mustered only one field goal in the first 6 minutes.

Steve Francis started at point guard for Houston for the third time this season. Usual starter Rafer Alston sat out with a strained groin.

Francis went 1-for-8 from the field and scored three points.  Notes:@ The Mavericks are 6-0 when they hold their opponent under 90 points. ... Results of an MRI exam on Alston’s injury were negative. The Rockets don’t play again until Wednesday, against Orlando. ... Earlier Saturday, Bonzi Wells became the third Rocket to sign an endorsement deal with Chinese shoemaker Anta, joining Francis and Luis Scola.