In a blowout, the Rockets push the Mavericks

THE Rockets had to work hard to defeat the Mavericks, winning 111-107 in a game that was long indecisive and often sloppy offensively.

The tone is set from the interval: the pace is uneven, shots are not going in, and the two teams are piling up the bricks. After six minutes of play, Dallas was already forced to take a timeout as the score reached 13-8, a symbol of a sloppy start to the match on both sides.

Despite this sluggish context, Dallas stays in touch thanks to the activity of Cooper Flagg, very aggressive towards the circle, and several isolation sequences. On Houston’s side, Kevin Durant brings peace with clean shots, but Alperen Sengun has a disastrous first quarter, missing all six of his attempts. The Rockets still managed to finish the period slightly ahead, thanks mostly to their defense, and took a 31-28 lead after twelve minutes.

The second quarter did not immediately mark the break. Houston is playing with fire, sometimes seeming to take Dallas lightly, and the Mavericks are answering blow for blow for several minutes. Sengun finally unlocked his counter just over five minutes before halftime, forcing Jason Kidd to stop the game. From there, Houston found a better balance: several consecutive defensive stops, more direct play and better ball circulation. The end of the half was clearly in favor of the Rockets, with a Jabari Smith Jr. layup, after which Durant hit a 3-pointer just before the buzzer. Houston returned to the locker room with a more comfortable lead, 59-51, without really convincing.

Houston’s accuracy

Coming back from the locker room, Houston is finally picking up the slack, especially in the physical impact. After struggling on the rebound in the first half, the Rockets clearly dominated this sector and continued the second chances. The gap quickly increased, twice reaching 13 points. The collective counter even leads to a 3-point shot in transition, a symbol of the Rockets’ strong passing. But Dallas refuses to sink. The Mavericks continue to attack, find some outside shots and take advantage of a slight lull from the Rockets to gradually regroup. Josh Okogie’s 3-pointer gives Houston some air, but Dallas ends the quarter with a run that makes it 87-82 early in the fourth quarter.

The fourth quarter follows the same script: Houston controls without ever killing the game, Dallas hangs on with no choice. The Rockets came back from a 10-point lead and appeared to be close to covering, but Klay Thompson’s two straight 3-pointers completely revived the Mavericks. The ever-present Cooper Flagg continues to attack the rim and score in key moments. With just over three minutes left, Houston still leads 103-97, but the tension is building.

In the last two minutes, the match turned into a real showdown. Daniel Gafford makes two free throws, then dunks. With 50 seconds left, Naji Marshall tied the game at 107-107, putting the Toyota center in doubt. Houston responds immediately: Sengun scores in the post on the next possession to give his team a two-point lead. On the next drive, Flagg forces a shot past the circle, misses, and Dallas makes the fatal mistake of not fouling. The Rockets get the ball back and Tarry Eason finishes the counterattack with a dunk that practically seals the fate of the game. Flegg’s last 3-point attempt failed to find the target, and Houston can finally breathe a sigh of relief with a 111-107 victory.

WHAT TO REMEMBER

Amen Thompson ubiquitous. The Rockets wing was everywhere, racking up points, assists, rebounds and defensive activity without a turnover. With 21 points, 9 assists and 8 rebounds, he is very close to a triple-double.

Cooper Flagg continues. A day after his 49 points against the Hornets, the Dallas rookie was regal with 34 points, 12 rebounds and 5 assists. He has the luxury of dominating Kevin Durant in his always cool and detached style.

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How to read statistics? Min = Minute; Shots = Shots Successful / Shots Attempted; 3 points = 3 points / attempt 3 points; LF = free throws made / free throws attempted; O = offensive rebound; D=defensive jump; T = Total number of jumps; Pd = assists; Fte: Personal mistakes; Int = intercepts; Bp = lost balls; Ct: Against; +/- = point difference when the player is on the court; Points = Points; Rating: player rating calculated based on positive actions – negative actions.