The Dallas Mavericks were routed by the Houston Rockets, 135-117, in an early-morning preseason matchup on Friday. The game was the Mavericks’ first of two in Macao as they face the Rockets in the NBA China Preseason miniseries. Dallas echoed the same offensive struggles they faced throughout last season in Friday’s loss.
Kyrie Irving, Dereck Lively, Santi Aldama, PJ Washington, Marcus Sasser, and Caleb Martin were held out for the Mavericks.
Here are four stats to know from Friday morning’s preseason
loss.
1: Daniel Gafford 3-pointer
Daniel Gafford attempted one career three-pointer ahead of Friday’s preseason matchup with the Rockets. He attempted and made a spot-up three off a kick-out from Sergio de Larrea in the first quarter, to everyone’s surprise, except maybe his new coach.
Under head coach Dusty May’s new offense, he has challenged Gafford to expand his game and take threes as he continues to “earn the right.” Gafford saw just eight minutes of action in Friday’s blowout loss, finishing with seven points, three rebounds and one steal. The Mavericks will need more rebounding from Gafford, with Lively having no timetable to return, but it was pleasant to see the start of growth in his offensive game today.
8: Dwight Powell assists
Dwight Powell finished today’s matchup with a unique stat line of one point, one rebound and eight assists. His regular-season career-high in assists is eight, and he matched that number against the Rockets, leading the Mavericks in that category. Powell is the longest-tenured Maverick, and the leadership and professionalism he has shown throughout his career make him a valuable vet to any locker room. If he continues to contribute to the Mavericks’ bench in the preseason, the Mavericks will have to seriously consider putting him on the final roster heading into opening night.
35% vs. 50%: Mavericks vs. Rockets three-point efficiency
The Mavericks lost the three-point battle today, shooting 35% to the Rockets’ 50%. The shooting discrepancy put the Mavs in a hole they couldn’t dig themselves out of. Yet, still, a glimmer of hope — Dallas hoisted 51 threes today. They were willing shooters, at least, even if not particularly effective. That number exceeds their average attempts per game last season by 20! The Mavericks will be looking to shoot a lot more under May, but will need to see their shots fall at a higher clip, or the 3-point disparity will again be a season-long story.
19: Cooper Flagg points
Cooper Flagg only played in the first half, scoring 19 points in 19 minutes. He added six rebounds, three assists, two stocks, and shot 4-of-4 from the free-throw line. He started the first quarter slowly, with just two points, but heated up in the second quarter. In the second quarter, he seemed more assertive offensively, attempting four threes. His jump shot looked more fluid, a testament to the offseason work he has put in. Flagg’s performance in the first preseason game shows he is poised to take an offensive leap this year and emerge as a bonafide star in the league.
Up next
Set your alarms for Sunday at 5 am CT as the Mavericks and Rockets run it back on NBA TV and mavs.com.
