HOUSTON – About a week ago, the Mavericks spoke cryptically about a short-term goal.

Saturday night was the culmination, and it was revealed that they didn't quite reach the goal. But they weren't far off.

Translation: Four wins out of five games, especially if a team has turned the corner in developing an identity, isn't bad.

They finished a five-game, eight-day stretch with a 96-83 bashing of the Houston Rockets in which the Mavericks had fun, played smart defense and made a few shots. It was one of their best overall games of the season, despite a 40-29 rebounding deficit.

Afterward, the Mavericks could smile because they had taken another step toward a more consistent run. And their defense has performed admirably in 3 ½ of the last five games.

"We got all but one, or maybe one and a half," Jason Terry said. "Mentally, you see guys locked in. Physically, you see more energy out there. Now we've established an identity on how we want to play."

That identity is that the defense has to be more physical, and the offense has to be smart, taking what's there. There were some prime examples of that against the Rockets, like eight assists for Dirk Nowitzki and five players in double figures.

Like Jerry Stackhouse continuing his resurgence off the bench, and Josh Howard canning 23 points to nearly double Tracy McGrady's total.

And like going on a 56-33 run to start the second half.

But Avery Johnson was more proud of the defense, naturally. The Rockets needed a hot stretch at the finish to end up at 40.8 percent from the field. Howard helped neutralize McGrady (5-of-18 from the field), and Yao Ming's monster game didn't hurt the Mavericks, because they stifled just about everybody else.

"They've been challenged quite a bit with their defense, and instead of them just surrendering with the challenge, they've taken the defensive challenge, and it's been pretty good the last two games," Johnson said. "We've been pretty soft during the first 10, 15 games. We haven't been as tough as we normally have been, and that's not just me saying that. Our players feel that way. They just feel they want to be a little more physical. At least they're getting after it."

In the last three games, opponents have averaged 85 points and shot 39.8 percent.

"It's about time, really," said Nowitzki, who had 20 points and tied a career high with eight assists. "It's December, it's not really that early anymore. You can't push stuff back. You got to have a little sense of urgency. The last couple games, we made a little progress. Our goal was to get better from month to month. So far, we made a couple steps in the right direction."

Coming to Houston obviously doesn't hurt. Granted, the competition for "best games of the season" hasn't exactly been stiff. But three of the Mavericks' most solid outings have come against the Rockets, including two in Houston, where they overcame a 17-point deficit last month.

They will finish this season 2-0 at Toyota Center. They are 4-7 in the rest of their road games.

There's no better place to put a forward-moving plan in motion. All the Mavericks have to do now is come up with their next short-term goal.

"Short-term goals are the way to get to the ultimate goal," said Devin Harris, who had 14 points, seven assists and two key 3-pointers in the third quarter, when the Mavericks outscored Houston, 30-20. "We want to get better defensively. The first couple games, it wasn't there. But it's coming around."