The Dallas Mavericks returned to downtown Dallas to host their I-45 rival, the Houston Rockets, in a Saturday matinee. The Mavericks reportedly beefed up security after alleged death threats against GM Nico Harrison in the post-Luka Doncic era. The Mavericks defeated the Rockets 116-105 at the American Airlines Center. Dallas improved to 28-25 for a two-game winning streak, while Houston fell to 32-20 and lost its sixth straight game.
Anthony Davis led the Mavericks with 26 points, 16 rebounds, and seven assists. Max Christie followed up with 23 points, two rebounds, and two assists. Naji Marshall added 16 points and four rebounds. Kyrie Irving had 13 points, two rebounds, and six assists. Klay Thompson scored 13 points, four rebounds, and one assist. Spencer Dinwiddie recorded 10 points and one assist. PJ Washington tallied six points, three rebounds, and one assist.
Dallas Mavericks-Houston Rockets Recap
The Dallas Mavericks vs. Houston Rockets game was action-packed from start to finish. Davis made his Mavericks debut after dealing with an abdominal muscle strain. The Mavericks ruled out Caleb Martin with a right hip strain, Dereck Lively II with a right ankle stress fracture, and Dwight Powell with a right hip strain. The Rockets ruled out Fred VanVleet with a right ankle sprain and Jabari Smith Jr. with a left metacarpal fracture.
The Mavericks’ starting lineup featured Kyrie Irving, Klay Thompson, PJ Washington, Anthony Davis, and Daniel Gafford. Despite some Mavericks fans’ excessive anger over the Doncic trade, professional basketball allows Davis to be in a safe place at the end of the day. On Friday, Davis told reporters that he plans to give the city life back to the heartbroken Mavericks fans.
The first quarter saw Davis feel the love in downtown Dallas. Davis’ first-quarter stat line consisted of 14 points, eight rebounds, and three assists. The Mavericks led 33-20 at the end of the first. The second quarter was initially sluggish, but both teams gradually picked up the pace. The Rockets ran their offense the best they could against a short-handed Mavericks team. The Mavericks took a 65-48 halftime lead to the locker room.
The third quarter shifted in favor of the Rockets. The Rockets’ 14-0 run cut the Mavericks’ lead to 69-60 past the midway mark. The Mavericks’ offense hung on as Washington sustained a right ankle sprain and didn’t return. The Mavericks maintained an 89-81 lead through three quarters. The fourth quarter saw highlight-reel moments, like Gafford’s offensive rebound and slam. The Mavericks won 116-105 in regulation.
Mavericks-Rockets Highlights
The Dallas Mavericks vs. Houston Rockets game featured multiple highlights, such as the Mavericks’ recent partnership with the Marcus Graham Project (MGP) for a game-changing boot camp for 25 young working professionals looking to step into the sports marketing industry. 25 program applicants were selected to participate in a week-long training and mentorship program through the MGP iCR8 Boot Camp.
For the Mavericks, Mavs.com recently reported that the NBA trade deadline has passed, and the Mavericks are beginning to “figure themselves out.” The Mavericks had arguably done all they could do, which was more than enough. The Mavericks traded Doncic Davis, which sparked lots of emotions, including backlash in the NBA world. The Mavericks’ primary focus would be to recover from the emotions surrounding Doncic.
Houston’s deadline wasn’t as flashy, but arguably helpful. The Rockets waived Jaden Springer for second-round picks with the Boston Celtics. The Rockets could’ve fixed their center and point guard position issues with upgrades, but they didn’t budge, which was expected as their young core is the future, given good health and consistency.
Final Thoughts
The Dallas Mavericks rose up and took down the Boston Celtics 127-120 at TD Garden on Thursday night to end the five-game road trip on a high note. The Mavericks saved the best for last on their longest trip of the 2024-25 NBA season, and against the defending NBA champion in a Finals rematch. The Mavericks last suffered heartbreak nine months ago but responded with a new star player, Davis, to play alongside Irving.
Davis was questionable with an abdominal muscle strain, but Irving stepped up in Thursday night’s game. Irving wasn’t the Mavericks’ top scorer that night, but he had 19 points, three rebounds, and four assists in a whopping 40 minutes of play. Irving helped the Mavericks’ scoring at his old stomping grounds at TD Garden when he was a Boston Celtic, a stint he’d likely want to forget, as he was widely known for his antics in Boston.
Mavericks Head Coach Jason Kidd didn’t just celebrate his team’s heartfelt victory over the Celtics. Kidd also celebrated what he envisions the new Mavericks looking like. Kidd told reporters that the Mavericks now can play two traditional big men at the same time, which goes against the NBA’s recent grain. Most NBA teams stocked up on swingmen and guards and opted with a center or power forward who works as a center.
The Mavericks will continue their five-game homestand with a second game against the Sacramento Kings in the American Airlines Center on Monday at 7:30 p.m. Central. The Kings previously hosted the New Orleans Pelicans in the Golden 1 Center on Saturday at 7:00 p.m. Pacific before traveling to Dallas to take on the Mavericks in the first game of a three-game Southern road trip.
