2 Key Reasons Why the Mavericks Lost to the Rockets

Things got scary for Dallas in their loss to the Houston Rockets on Halloween night, as Houston consistently attacked the glass with much more ferocity and had a -13 rebound margin for the Mavericks. Not only that, but the Mavericks also allowed the Rockets to easily look at pucks throughout the game and failed to protect the paint at a high level.

Dallas looked tired from the start, lacking energy in the first half, then falling behind by 13 points. After losing the third quarter, they fell behind by 16 points entering the final period. Although they nearly managed to crawl out of the hole thanks to hot shooting and better defensive efforts, they still fell short against their in-state rivals, losing 108-102.

Of all the issues that arose in this game, none stood out more on the defensive glass than the aforementioned issues. Houston had 18 offensive rebounds for 20 second-chance points, and the Mavericks had eight second-chance points for 10 total offensive rebounds. The Rockets also scored 58 points in the paint, most of which came from extra opportunities.

they allowed Alperen Şengün to single-handedly catch six misses on the offensive end and turn them into fumbles. Jabari Smith Jr. He grabbed another three, the substitute grabbed five and the effort made a big difference in the game. Considering Houston managed to win the game despite shooting just 41.2% from the field. Derek Lively II And Daniel Gafford Managing to connect just six boards in total was a clear indication of what kind of night it was for Dallas.

for Mavericks P.J. Washington He continued his leadership with nine rebounds in total. Kyrie Irving He finished second with eight points. Equal Luka Doncicwhich maintained its presence on the boards this year, finished with just five points overall.

Besides the problems on the glass, the players Jalen Green They were able to consistently get past the Dallas defense on drives as they offered little resistance to dribble penetration. Equal Dillon Brooks He scored 17 points, some of which were in transition and some of which were scored as a result of interceptions that resulted in open dunks in the half court. Dallas looked stagnant in general, and even though they opened late, it wasn’t enough to close the big gap.

Considering the Mavericks had to play five games in eight days, resulting in a loss, some disappointment at some point was probably bound to happen. They will rest on Friday and Saturday before playing against the stranded Orlando Magic. Paolo BancheroSunday afternoon. Hopefully these two days can be a refresher for a team that needs to come up with a strong performance even against Orlando’s roster without its best player.

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