Rockets’ Slide Continues in 116-105 Loss to Mavericks
Sixth Stench. Dominant Debut. Daytime Struggles.
Same guy, different jersey. In his Dallas debut, Anthony Davis dazzled, as he registered 26 points, 16 rebounds, and 7 assists to help deal the Rockets a 116-105 loss on Saturday afternoon. Houston trailed by as many as 21 points in the first half. The Rockets were able to cut into that lead, and get within two points, but that’s as close as Houston would get to a comeback. Alperen Sengun scored 30 points to lead the Rockets, and Jalen Green chipped in 24 points.
After trailing by 17 points as the half, Houston’s Head Coach Ime Udoka chose to play his version of the squad’s Twin Towers, inserting Steven Adams alongside Sengun. It worked brilliantly, as the Rockets outscored the Mavs by nine points in the period, and crept back in the game. Adams has shown why he’s one of the best offensive rebounders in the league. The New Zealander grabbed 12 boards in only 22 minutes of action. Sadly, Houston couldn’t rally for the victory, but this loss is another learning curve for this young squad, and how they can improve in the future.
The defeat is Houston’s sixth straight loss, a season-high, as their downward spiral down the standings continues. The Rockets have now slipped all the way down to the fifth seed in the Western Conference, and are in jeopardy of falling into a Play-In Spot. And if that happens, Houston’s postseason stint could be much shorter than expected. As of the moment, the Rockets trail the Memphis Grizzlies, Denver Nuggets, and Los Angeles Lakers in the West (excluding the Oklahoma City Thunder, who have all but essentially clinched the first spot in the conference).
Thankfully Houston doesn’t play many matinee matchups, as the Rockets are winless in day games this season. Unfortunately, Houston has another matinee affair tomorrow, but it’s back at home, and against the Toronto Raptors, a more inferior opponent. It’s the start of a three-game homestand heading into the All-Star Break. After tomorrow’s game, the Rockets will finally receive a much-need two days of rest, before hosting the Phoenix Suns, and then Golden State Warriors in another back-to-back to wrap up the pre-All-Star Game portion of the season. For now, Houston will try and put an end to this six-game skid, and attempt to win their first day game of the season, as they return home to host the Raptors on Super Bowl Sunday.