The Rockets’ first loss of the season came in a mess of missed chances, busted possessions and just enough Mavericks shot-making to turn a close game into a 114-111 Dallas win.
And at the center of it all was Kyrie Irving, who carved up Houston for 33 points on 12/19 shooting from the field. Cooper Flagg gave Dallas the early spark, opening fast with 10 points on 5/5 shooting by the midpoint of the first quarter and finishing with 32 points on 13/19 shooting from the field. Together, they were more than Houston could handle.
That doesn’t mean the Rockets should sound the alarm.
They were missing Alperen Sengun, and the offense felt it. Without him, Houston had a much harder time finding easy half-court looks, and the attack lost a layer of flow. Sengun is not dealing with a major injury, so that absence is part of why this result should be viewed in context.
Still, the closing stretch was ugly in every possible way for Houston. Kevin Durant led the Rockets with 26 points on 9/20 shooting, but he also missed four free throws, including two down the stretch that helped swing the game. Dallas then pushed the pace off the rebound and got a momentum-changing basket that made those misses sting even more.
Jabari Smith Jr. did his part, putting up 22 points on 7/15 shooting and 3/7 from deep. He scored in bursts and at times looked like he might drag Houston over the finish line. But when your best performance comes in a loss like this, the outcome usually tells the story.
Clint Capela’s two goaltending violations also loomed large. Houston simply gave away too many possessions, and the errors kept piling up. Amen Thompson’s lane violation only added to the chaos.
If there was one thing the Rockets did well, it was attack the glass. They finished with 20 offensive rebounds, which kept them alive and matched the kind of work they’ve been doing all season. But second chances only go so far when the rest of the night is built on mistakes.
Dallas, for its part, has been playing well, so this wasn’t exactly a free pass for Houston even with a full roster. Without one of their best players, the Rockets were already climbing uphill.
Now they have to turn around and face the Thunder tomorrow night.
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Kyrie Irving Just Gave Rockets Fans A Tough Trade Question
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And because Houston has been looking for more high-end creation around Kevin Durant, Irvings name naturally lands in the conversation as a possible fit. The question is whether the Rockets would ever be willing to pay the price, with the discussion centering on Fred VanVleet and additional assets, even as the team weighs what a move like that would mean for its young core. [Read more 🡒]