Up To The Houston Rockets To Claim Battle Of I-45 Over Dallas

As the Dallas Cowboys held off the Houston Texans in overtime this past Sunday, the rivalry between Texas’ two biggest cities intensified.

The battle of I-45 each year has a lot of pride on the line. However, this year was particularly significant because the Texans took on the Cowboys as they do once every four seasons. The Texans battled back and forced overtime in exciting fashion, only to fall short thanks to a miracle catch by Cowboys receiver Dez Bryant.

Oct 5, 2014; Arlington, TX, USA; Dallas Cowboys receiver Dez Bryant (88) catches a overtime pass against Houston Texans cornerback Johnathan Joseph (24) at AT&T Stadium. The Cowboys beat the Texans 20-17 in overtime. Mandatory Credit: Matthew Emmons-USA TODAY Sports

In a shocking surprise, the Houston Astros easily won the Silver Boot this year in their season series versus the Texas Rangers. Texas had won the previous five seasons, and the Astros finally brought the boot back to Houston. However, the Rangers had the majority of their core players on the DL by the time the season ended. Also, considering the fact that this year’s Silver Boot was essentially the battle to avoid last place in the division, this matchup was not exactly a nail-biter.

The Cowboys and Texans showdown is always significant sentimentally. The battle of Texas, the state where football is religious, is an important one for the fans every time these two teams match up. Yet, in the grand scheme of things, this game is not critical for either team. They only square off once every four years, and they are not even in the same conference. If these two teams ever meet each other in the Super Bowl, then we can talk, but I don’t think that will happen anytime soon, if ever.

Same thing goes for the Astros and Rangers. Until two seasons ago, the teams were in different leagues. They still played every season in interleague play, but the rivalry never really amounted to anything, especially because historically neither team has had much championship success. Now, at least the two are in the same division, playing each other over 15 times per season.

However, since the realignment shifted the Astros to the AL West, the team has been in the midst of a drastic rebuilding process resulting in them becoming the laughing stock of the MLB. The Rangers had back-to-back World Series appearances followed by three seasons of increasingly disappointing disasters, the most recent landing themselves in dead last of the American League. This rivalry could gain some momentum shortly down the road if the Astros continue to improve and the Rangers can shake off this past year and bounce back with a healthy squad. Also the addition of Nolan Ryan to the Astros front office from the Rangers front office should add to the rivarly.

Jul 7, 2014; Arlington, TX, USA; Houston Astros first baseman Jon Singleton (28) and designated hitter Chris Carter (23) celebrate a victory with teammates after the game against the Texas Rangers at Global Life Park in Arlington. The Astros beat the Rangers 12-7. Mandatory Credit: Matthew Emmons-USA TODAY Sports

But until then, the Rockets-Mavericks southwest rivalry remains the premier battle between Houston and Dallas. Since the Mavs joined the NBA in 1980, the two Texas teams have been battling it out in the same division ever since (first the Midwest division and then the Southwest division after realignment in 2004).

Let’s get one thing straight. It’s true, neither of these teams is the best basketball team in Texas. The San Antonio Spurs reign supreme historically and currently over both the Rockets and the Mavs. Their five championships outnumber Dallas and Houston’s three combined, and they have dominated the division titles category as well. Yet here’s the thing. The city of San Antonio, no matter how good the Spurs are, will never join the battle between Houston and Dallas. H-Town and Big D (including Fort Worth) have bigger populations and more sports teams, and therefore are the only two that matter in this conversation. The Texas triangle is a true force in the NBA that makes for nightmarish road trips for several teams around the league, but when it comes to bragging rights as a Texas city, the only two that have a say are the Rockets and Mavericks.

The two franchises head-to-head are currently in a dead heat. Both teams have won 88 games against each other, including playoff matchups. In those postseason series, however, the Mavericks have a 2-0 advantage, winning both first round occasions, once in 1988 and then again in 2005 (for those of you who don’t remember, the Rockets won the first two games ON THE ROAD in that 2005 series, just to blow the next two at home and ultimately lose in Game 7 by 40 POINTS, but more on that later).

May 2, 2014; Dallas, TX, USA; Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban reacts during the game against the San Antonio Spurs in game six of the first round of the 2014 NBA Playoffs at American Airlines Center. Dallas won 113-111. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports

The Mavs have also dominated the season series in recent history. The Rockets haven’t won a season series against Dallas since 2000, when Steve Francis, Cuttino Mobley, Hakeem Olajuwon and Charles Barkley were on the team. The teams split last year’s series 2-2, each winning one at home and one away.

The Rockets and Mavericks have consistently been rivals, especially in the 2000s as both teams were perennial playoff contenders. Yet the rivalry didn’t truly escalate until as recent as last summer, when Dwight Howard decided to join the Rockets over the Mavs.

Mavericks’ owner Mark Cuban accused Dwight of making a “mistake in judgment” by choosing Houston instead of Dallas. To make matters worse, Rockets’ GM Daryl Morey sent Cuban a text shortly after signing Howard asking if Dirk Nowitzki, the heart and soul of the Mavericks, was available for trade. Cuban took this gesture as a taunt, and the two have been bickering back and forth ever since.

Fast forward to this past offseason. Both the Rockets and Mavs fell just short in their first round matchups and were looking to improve for the upcoming 2014-15 season.

The Rockets went for it all, trying to lure in Carmelo Anthony, Chris Bosh and even LeBron James at one point. They obtained all of the necessary salary space, shipping Jeremy Lin to L.A. and Omer Asik to New Orleans, and bringing in Trevor Ariza in the process. They also declined Chandler Parsons’ team option, letting him become a restricted free agent.

Instead of paying Parsons under $1 million for his fourth NBA season, Morey decided to try and extend him long-term with a much more deserving contract. Parsons signed on with Cuban and the Mavs for three years, $46.23 million with several trade exceptions, leaving Morey no choice but to let the emerging small forward go to a hated division rival.

Apr 20, 2014; Houston, TX, USA; Houston Rockets center Dwight Howard (12) and forward Chandler Parsons (25) react after a play during overtime against the Portland Trail Blazers in game one during the first round of the 2014 NBA Playoffs at Toyota Center. The Trail Blazers defeated the Rockets 122-120. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports

In an interview this past August, Cuban admitted that he “wanted to kick (Morey’s) ass” in free agency this offseason. Two summers in a row, Morey had won the offseason, first by snagging Harden from OKC and then by luring D12 away from Lakerland. This year, Cuban wanted to change all of that, and he did. He also ridiculed Houston’s views on players and ignorance to chemistry and human feelings.

Morey responded to these comments in late September, not only defending the Rockets, but also pronouncing that free agents would pick Houston over Dallas “every time.” He also called out Cuban for being hypocritical in his views on chemistry, referring to how he broke apart his championship team to create cap space back in 2011. Cuban actually hired one of Morey’s assistants Gersson Rosas to bring more analytics to the Mavs’ general management, but the two had logistical disputes and Rosas returned to the Rockets shortly thereafter.

Meanwhile, Dallas embezzled Parsons from the Rockets, and the emotional dominoes fell from there. Parsons came out saying he took offense to the way the Rockets handled his contract situation. I find that hard to believe considering he could have been making under a million this season and now is making more than James Harden himself, but maybe that’s just me. Anyhow, Parsons insisted that he wanted to be the third star Morey has been searching for ever since signing Dwight, and the two parties came to a disagreement.

Howard downplayed the whole thing, insisting that the loss of Parsons “won’t affect us at all.” Harden reiterated that statement, proclaiming that he and Dwight are “the cornerstones of the Rockets,” and everyone else is just a complimentary player. Parsons wasn’t very fond of this opinion, and the two quarreled vicariously through the media before “making up” at USA Basketball minicamp.

The beef between these two teams took on another element when the Rockets traded for Jason Terry in September. Terry, or known by some as the “Rocket Killer,” was a long-time Maverick and helped the team win its first and only title in 2011 against the Miami Heat. Terry was notorious in Houston for his shooting success in the Toyota Center, particularly in Game 4 of the aforementioned 2005 playoff series. Now, after two seasons of shuffling around the league and dealing with injuries, Terry has found his way into the Rockets locker room for the start of 2014 training camp.

Oct 7, 2014; Dallas, TX, USA; Houston Rockets guard James Harden (13) shoots against Dallas Mavericks center Tyson Chandler (6) at American Airlines Center. Mandatory Credit: Matthew Emmons-USA TODAY Sports

Through all of this media backlash over the past year or so, the Rockets-Mavericks rivalry has emerged as one of the best in the NBA. Even with the Spurs trying to defend their title this season, the Houston-Dallas dilemma has taken a front seat as the most entertaining basketball feud around.

Think back to last season. What were the biggest games and/or rivalries the fans looked forward to? You can pretty much cancel out anything involving the Miami Heat, unless you’re talking about the Cleveland Cavaliers and the “return” of LeBron James to South Beach. The most hyped up game of last year was probably Miami versus Indiana, and now that game will have absolutely no implications whatsoever with the departure of LBJ and Paul George’s injury. What other rivalries are there? Lakers-Clippers and the battle of LA? Not since the Lakers have decided to field a D-League team around an injured Kobe Bryant. Knicks-Nets and the reign over the Big Apple? Doubtful, since both teams will be fighting for not just a final playoff spot, but also a .500 record.

The Rockets-Mavs rivalry has built up for the past 30 years, and it has some serious momentum heading into the 2014-15 season. The Mavericks have high hopes after signing Chandler Parsons and bringing back Tyson Chandler to the mix. Houston didn’t have the successful offseason it was hoping for, but you can’t overlook the fact that they still have James Harden, Dwight Howard and a full year of experience under its belt with those two and coach Kevin McHale.