Mavericks’ Comeback Effort Falls Short as Early Woes Doom Them Against Rockets
Mavericks fall to Rockets 108-102 after slow start and fourth-quarter rally. Dončić, Irving shine late, but fouls and rebounding issues prove costly in Dallas’ homestand opener.
DALLAS — The Dallas Mavericks opened their five-game homestand with a frustrating 108-102 loss to the Houston Rockets on Thursday night. Early foul trouble, rebounding issues, and offensive miscues kept them playing from behind. Despite a strong fourth-quarter rally led by Luka Dončić and Kyrie Irving, Houston escaped American Airlines Center with the win.
The Mavericks’ struggles began immediately as early fouls and missed defensive assignments allowed Houston to establish momentum. Dallas shot just 8-of-21 in the first quarter and 2-of-12 from beyond the arc, with Dončić finishing with 29 points, scoring only 6 points in the opening period.
“I’ll take the blame because I’ve got to do better than that,” Dončić said. “I know I can do it. I just have to focus and play my game.”
Meanwhile, the Rockets capitalized on Dallas’ errors with a balanced offensive attack. Jalen Green led Houston with 23 points and 12 rebounds, setting the pace for his team early. Dillon Brooks added to Houston’s first-quarter push with 17 points on 6-of-15 shooting, while Şengün controlled the boards with 17 points and 12 rebounds, including six on the offensive end. By the end of the first quarter, Houston had built a 34-21 lead, leaving Dallas on the back foot.
“We’re out here hacking them,” said Mavericks coach Jason Kidd. “There’s smart fouls and there’s bad fouls, and we got a ton of bad fouls. It’s early in the season, but it’s not the referees; it’s us. We’ve got to be better.”
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Shooting Woes and Offensive Frustrations
Dončić’s early shooting struggles reflected an issue that has impacted the Mavericks team-wide. Kidd observed that his star player’s struggles weren’t unique, noting that even when the team found good looks, they couldn’t capitalize.
This limited production became a theme for the night as Dončić, Irving, and Thompson accounted for so much of Dallas’ offense. The trio were the only Mavericks to score in double figures, with Irving tallying 28 points on 10-of-20 shooting, 8 rebounds, and 7 assists, while Thompson added 12 points on 5-of-13 shooting. Irving and Dončić combined for five three-pointers in the final quarter alone, igniting a late rally, but the lack of other scoring options hindered their comeback effort.
“It’s not just him—it’s a ‘we,’” Kidd said of Dončić. “He’s one of our leaders, and he’s taking responsibility, but I think we have to be better overall. We’re getting good looks, but they’re not going down. We can’t get frustrated with misses. We’re getting in the paint, missing layups, missing free throws. Sometimes we get frustrated, and we need to be a little better at staying positive, redirecting our energy, and moving on to the next play.”
By halftime, Dallas trailed 57-44. Their field-goal percentage was under 46%, and their three-point shooting was inconsistent, stifling their attempts to catch up. Houston, meanwhile, controlled the boards, winning the rebounding battle 50-37 and taking advantage of Dallas’ missed opportunities.
Kidd emphasized that the lack of rebounds highlighted a significant area of needed improvement for Dallas.
“We’ve got to end possessions,” Kidd said after the Rockets posted an 18-10 advantage on offensive rebounds. “They had a lot of offensive rebounds.”
Houston’s Physicality and Dallas’ Defensive Adjustments
Houston’s offense, led by Jalen Green and Alperen Şengün, was relentless, pushing the Rockets’ lead to as much as 19 in the second quarter. Dallas faced further foul trouble, with Dončić picking up his third personal foul with 3:19 remaining in the half. Houston’s physicality and second-chance scoring forced Kidd to rely on P.J. Washington’s defensive versatility to counter Houston’s size in the paint.
Washington’s defensive versatility provided some bright spots, as he finished with six points, nine rebounds, three steals, and three blocks in 37 minutes. However, Kidd pointed out that relying on Washington to anchor the defense wasn’t enough, especially against Houston’s physical frontcourt.
“We need four P.J. Washingtons to guard,” Kidd said of Washington’s performance. “He’s done everything we’ve asked him since he’s gotten here, guarding everybody… but we have to be better. We can’t rely on P.J. to turn off everyone’s water; it has to be a group effort.”
Despite a few lineup changes and defensive adjustments, Dallas couldn’t contain Houston’s balanced offense, as the Rockets finished with six players scoring in double figures. Kidd pointed out that while Washington performed well, it was clear that Dallas needed a broader defensive approach to contain the Rockets.
In the third quarter, Dallas tried to mount a response, cutting Houston’s lead to 13 points on multiple occasions. Yet, fouls and turnovers continued to prevent any significant momentum shift. Kidd noted that the team’s offensive approach was also a hindrance, as players overcomplicated plays instead of moving the ball.
“I think we’ve just got to keep it simple,” Kidd said. “Right now, we’re not doing that. We’re being a bit more complicated, maybe over-dribbling. We need to move the ball so multiple guys can touch it before we take the shot.”
Dallas ended the third down 82-69, with their shooting inconsistency carrying over into the final quarter.
Fourth-Quarter Rally Shows Mavericks’ Potential
Entering the fourth quarter down by 13, the Mavericks finally found their rhythm. Using a small ball lineup featuring Washington and Marshall in the frontcourt, Dončić, and Irving led a furious 25-9 run, cutting Houston’s lead to three points with just over two minutes left, igniting the home crowd and giving Dallas a fighting chance. Dončić drilled a critical three-pointer, bringing the Mavericks within 100-97.
“In the fourth quarter, I kind of felt a little bit like myself,” Dončić said of his late-game push, where he scored 15 of his 29 points. “So that was a good thing for me. But obviously, we didn’t get the win, so it wasn’t good enough.”
Irving was similarly optimistic about the team’s effort in the fourth. “I feel like we have a chance to win anytime in the game, especially when the clock hasn’t hit zero yet, and we’re in a rhythm offensively, and we’re getting stops,” Irving said. “There are definitely some lessons that we took from last year that can carry over into this year.”
But the Rockets had an answer for every Mavericks run. Green responded with a crucial three-pointer to extend Houston’s lead to six, and despite another three from Dončić, Thompson’s baseline jumper pushed the lead back to five with 43.8 seconds remaining. Dallas’ final opportunity slipped away when Thompson missed a three-pointer, and Brooks secured the victory with an 18-footer.
Kidd Seeks Stability in Rotation and Bench Production
Offensive help from the bench was sparse throughout this game. Spencer Dinwiddie, who played just over 12 minutes, went scoreless from the field (0-of-5) and added only four points on free throws. Dereck Lively II contributed 6 points on 2-of-4 shooting and pulled down three rebounds in 15 minutes. Marshall added 4 points, while Jaden Hardy chipped in another 2 points, respectively, but Dallas’ bench was outscored 33-21 by Houston’s reserves.
Following the loss, Kidd acknowledged the need for consistent bench contributions and admits that it is still in flux as the coaching staff works to identify dependable contributors in the Mavericks’ rotation.
“We’re trying to get guys comfortable in their role,” Kidd said. “We’ve had different looks as we go through this journey to see who’s comfortable in that role.”
Irving echoed the need for leadership and consistency, emphasizing that setting the tone from the start of games will be critical for success.
“We’ve got to play with that energy that we need in order to get the other guys to follow suit,” he said.
It’s important not to overlook Daniel Gafford’s struggles to begin the season. Despite starting, he logged only 15 minutes, and the team has been outscored by an 8-point margin with him on the floor in 93 minutes compared to outscoring their opponent by 15 points in 147 minutes without him. He’s struggled to control the paint against traditional centers like Şengün in this game or even Jusuf Nurkić from the Phoenix Suns in recent matchups.
Looking Ahead: Defensive Focus as Key to Mavericks’ Success
As the Mavericks prepare for their next game against the Orlando Magic on Sunday, Kidd and his team know that their success will largely depend on improving their defensive discipline and establishing an effective rebounding strategy.
Dallas’ defensive lapses allowed Houston too many scoring chances, and the early fouls forced the Mavericks to adjust throughout the game.
“Defense is going to win us games this year,” Irving emphasized. “Offensively, we have talent; we just need to find our rhythm and spacing. But it’s defense first. We’ve got to bring that energy and be able to stop guys.”
Dallas will look to regroup, finding both rhythm and defensive consistency to turn this early homestand into an opportunity to establish themselves as a force in the West.
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