Mavericks End Road Trip 1-3 After Turnover-Plagued Loss Against Rockets: “It’s Easy to Make Excuses”

The Dallas Mavericks arrived at the Toyota Center on Wednesday night, hoping to close their four-game road trip on a high note, but ended 1-3 with a 110-99 loss against the Houston Rockets. Dallas aimed to build momentum with Kyrie Irving, Klay Thompson, and Dereck Lively II returning to the lineup.

Dallas has scored 100 or fewer points in four of its last five games since Luka Dončić‘s injury, who will be sidelined for most of January with a left calf strain. Naji Marshall served his third game of a four-game suspension for getting into an altercation in Phoenix with Jusuf Nurkić. Danté Exum remains out as he recovers from right wrist surgery, further thinning the rotation.

Irving and Thompson each scored 16 points, while Quentin Grimes led the team with 17 points off the bench. Lively II contributed eight points, six rebounds, six assists, and four blocks. Dallas struggled to handle an elite defense that swarmed Irving, preventing him from setting the tone.

Houston capitalized on 20 Dallas turnovers, scoring 22 points off those mistakes, while the Mavericks struggled to find consistency on either end. The Rockets made 18 of 23 free throws compared to Dallas’ 8 of 16, further widening the margin.

“Turnovers. We just turned the ball [over], we had 20 turnovers. If you’re not getting shots against Houston, it’s going to be tough,” head coach Jason Kidd said postgame. “I thought we started the game off right, but then in that first half we sent them to the free throw line a lot. We fouled a lot, especially in that first quarter.”

The Dallas Mavericks’ Fast Start Fades

Dallas opened the game strong, leaning on Thompson’s hot shooting. Thompson connected on three consecutive shots, including two three-pointers, helping the Mavericks build a 10-point lead midway through the second quarter. P.J. Washington took advantage of switches in the post, scoring on Fred VanVleet, while Lively’s return gave Dallas an anchor defensively.

But Houston steadily chipped away. Alperen Şengün and Jalen Green led the Rockets’ charge, taking advantage of Dallas’ mistakes and defensive breakdowns. The Mavericks’ ball security deteriorated, and by halftime, Houston held a 61-52 lead after a 25-9 run to close the second quarter.

Late in the second quarter, Washington left the game with a right knee sprain and did not return. He finished with six points, three rebounds, and one assist in 16 minutes. His absence left Dallas shorthanded in the frontcourt for the rest of the game. Maxi Kleber, who finished with five points and two rebounds, logged 30 minutes.

Şengün, Green, and Brooks Lead Houston

Lively’s return provided much-needed size, but foul trouble limited his impact, causing Dwight Powell to log 12 minutes. Lively played 20 minutes—slightly above the 15-18 minute restriction Kidd set pregame. Despite flashes of strong play, Şengün consistently found ways to exploit Dallas’ interior defense, finishing with 23 points, six rebounds, five steals, and four assists.

Green added 22 points and five rebounds, while Dillon Brooks contributed 19 points and six rebounds, often taking on the primary assignment of guarding Irving. Jabari Smith Jr. chipped in 12 points, giving Houston five double-figure scorers.

Daniel Gafford struggled to contain Şengün, and Dallas was outscored by 27 points in the 12 minutes he played. He often left his feet against fakes and was outworked on the boards. A struggle to outproduce in the paint has become a negative trend lately.

Kyrie Irving, Klay Thompson Struggle to Lead the Offense

Irving finished with 16 points on 7-of-13 shooting but committed four turnovers and was held to just two assists. Brooks guarded Irving tightly throughout the night, limiting his ability to create consistent offense, while the Rockets often double-teamed him.

Dallas’ struggles in the pick-and-roll stood out, with Houston frequently trapping ball handlers and forcing mistakes. “I think we were expecting the trap with Kai. We just turned the ball over there a ton,” Kidd said. “That’s what they thrive on.”

Thompson echoed Kidd’s concerns about turning it over too much, suggesting that the Mavericks’ offense needs to move the ball quicker when the defense tries to double in pick-and-roll actions.

“They’re a good defensive team. At least half of those were self-inflicted, though,” Thompson said. “Myself, I had a couple I wish we could get back. When they double the pick-and-roll, we just get off the ball a little quicker and hit the other man.”

Spencer Dinwiddie failed to provide much of an impact as a secondary ball handler despite being given the starting nod next to Irving. He finished with eight points and more turnovers (three) than assists (two). He took more shots from three than inside the arc, failing to generate much rim pressure on a night Dallas sorely needed it without Dončić. Jaden Hardy had a few off-the-dribble threes but also struggled to generate much off the dribble, even shooting 1 of 5 on free throws. Hardy also finished with three turnovers, equaling his assist total.

Thompson admitted his five turnovers were costly.

“That’s on me. I can’t have five turnovers,” Thompson said. “I had some uncharacteristic turnovers. I got to be more sure with the ball. I’ll be better in a couple of days against really good teams.”

Quentin Grimes Provides a Bright Spot

Grimes, a former University of Houston standout and high school graduate from The Woodlands, took advantage of his return to the area by playing aggressively in transition and attacking the rim. He tried to make an impact by playing with energy on a night when the team was shorthanded at the end of a lengthy road trip.

“It’s easy to make excuses, but we know we have enough to win games like this,” Grimes said. “We just didn’t execute well enough.”

For Grimes, this was his second professional game in Houston. His first was in 2022 when he played for the New York Knicks.

“It was good. Just in New York, I would only come down one time, and my first year I had COVID. My second year I didn’t play, and the last year I was traded before I was able to play in front of my family,” Grimes said. “So it was good to come down and have a lot of family come out and support me tonight for sure.”

Kidd acknowledged Grimes’ impact on his performance, praising him for being aggressive and a positive contributor.

“I thought he was aggressive,” Kidd said. “Anytime you come back home as a player, you want to show your family and friends. I thought he was a plus for us tonight.”

The Road Ahead for the Dallas Mavericks

The Mavericks return home to face the Cleveland Cavaliers on Friday, kicking off a challenging stretch that includes matchups against the Memphis Grizzlies, Denver Nuggets, and Oklahoma City Thunder.

With Dončić and Exum still sidelined and Washington’s status uncertain, the Mavericks face an uphill battle to remain competitive in the Western Conference playoff race.