The Dallas Mavericks (12-23) are in a bad way as the Houston Rockets (21-10) roll into town Saturday for what appears to be a scheduled blowout at American Airlines Center. The Mavericks are as healthy as they’re going to get at this point, missing just Kyrie Irving, whose rehab from knee injury that ended his 2024-25 season in March continues, and Dante Exum and Dereck Lively II, whose seasons were cut short this year due to injuries. But still, the team has dropped its last four and seven of the last nine.
The Mavs’ New Year’s Day comeback fell short against the Philadelphia 76ers on Thursday, as Tyrese Maxey and VJ Edgecombe exposed Dallas’ backcourt once again in a 123-108 loss, also at the AAC.
Meanwhile, the Rockets have won their last four after dropping a pair of disappointing losses on the West Coast to the Sacramento Kings and the Los Angeles Clippers before Christmas. The last time these two teams met, on Dec. 6, the Mavericks orchestrated one of their most improbable upsets of the season so far in a 122-109 win behind 29 points (on 14-of-19 shooting) and eight rebounds from Anthony Davis.
That win came during a mirage of six wins in an eight-game stretch, which also included wins over the Miami Heat, the Denver Nuggets and in overtime over the Detroit Pistons. Remember that run? When reactionary Mavs fans (including this one) were falling all over themselves about Ryan Nembhard and having visions of making a playoff push when Irving returned to the lineup? It seems so long ago after the other shoe fell, including losses to the Kings and the New Orleans Pelicans (again).
But that’s the thing about this team. You never know which version is going to lace ‘em up on any given game day. Most of the time, it’s been bad, but you never know. To that end, here are three things the Mavs need to do to avoid a blowout against the Rockets, who at this point are a top-four team in the Western Conference.
Re-establish defensive identity
The Mavericks’ defensive rating has been slipping recently. They’re down to 10th in the NBA (113.4) after starting the year with a top-five rating through 20 games. In their last 12, the Mavs own a 117.4 defensive rating, which is good for just 22nd in the league.
In their earlier win over the Rockets, the Mavericks held Kevin Durant to just seven points in the second half and limited Houston to just nine second-chance points overall. That was no small feat, as Houston enters Saturday’s matchup as the best offensive rebounding team in the NBA, averaging 16 per game.
Defensive rebounding has been one of the Mavs’ biggest bellwethers for success this year. If Dallas can limit opponents to one shot per possession at a league-average rate, they give themselves a chance to win.
Third dance partner
The Mavericks know what they’re going to get, more or less, from Davis and rookie sensation Cooper Flagg — that is, when Davis is available. Dallas has shown signs that Davis, Flagg and a third playmaking dance partner can transform this team from a bottom-five team on the Mavericks’ worst nights into a truly formidable unit. That’s largely how the Mavs put together that string of six wins in eight games. When Davis is out, or when Flagg looks like a rookie, or when that third is simply not on the dance card, things can spiral quickly.
It’s a lot to ask for with this roster. The last nine games have shown us that. With ESPN’s Tim MacMahon expressing skepticism on Friday “that [the Mavericks are] going to be able to get an Anthony Davis trade done before [the NBA Trade] Deadline,” getting at least steps one and two of that equation right may be Dallas’ only hope of staying in games the rest of the year, if that is indeed what Mavs fans are rooting for at this point.
Cormac Karl “Max” Christie has flashed in the team’s last two games, shooting 15-of-25 from the field (including 7-of-14 from 3-point range). If he can continue that trend for a third game, perhaps the Mavs can summon lightning in a bottle one more time against the Rockets.
Compete from deep
Dallas comes into Saturday’s game against the Rockets tied for last in the NBA in 3-pointers made per game (10.7) and 29th in 3-point shooting (32.1%). It’s a sad state of affairs, and improvement from beyond the arc is not a lever a team built the way the Mavericks are built can simply pull. You’re asking for a heater if you want to see the Mavs win, which can be frustrating.
The futility the Mavericks have played with recently makes it easier to let one’s thoughts drift to the 2026 NBA Draft. To that end, laying bricks is productive, but boy, is it tough to watch on a night-in, night-out basis.
How to watch
The Mavericks host the Rockets at American Airlines Center on Saturday, with tipoff scheduled for 7:30 p.m. CDT. The game will be televised locally on KFAA Channel 29 and on sister stations throughout the Mavs’ regional viewership area. It can also be viewed on NBA League Pass where available, or streamed on MavsTV.
