Mavs Game Preview: Game 5 vs Rockets

It’s never boring when these two teams butt heads

Photo by Tim Warner / Getty Images

Another fun matchup against a Western Conference foe is on deck. While games against the Suns and Wolves have been tests among the big boys, matchups with the Rockets have felt more one-sided—like big brother vs. little brother. But with Luka Dončić on one side and an Ime Udoka-coached team on the other (especially one that has Dillon Brooks), you can expect a chippy, physical game. The Rockets have a young, deep and athletic team, featuring a top-four pick from each of the last four drafts, so this game should be fun to watch.

One other note: we’ll reach a milestone with this fifth game of the season, so I’ll aim to share some Mavericks team trends next week.

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Mavs (3-1) vs Rockets (2-2) game facts

Rest: HOU on 2 days of rest; DAL on 1 day of rest

Mavs 2023-24 record vs. Rockets: 3-1 (the lone loss was a game both Dončić and Irving missed; one win was an overtime victory after Exum hit a three to tie the game in regulation)

DAL injuries: Dante Exum (OUT), Maxi Kleber (OUT)

HOU injuries: Steven Adams (questionable)

HOU projected starting 5: Fred VanVleet (G), Jalen Green (G), Dillon Brooks (F), Jabari Smith (F), Alperen Sengun (C)

HOU key reserves: Amen Thompson, Tari Eason, Cam Whitmore, Reed Sheppard (R)

HOU Rotation:

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Three key questions heading into the game

1. The level of physicality allowed in the Dončić-Brooks matchup?

2. Do the Rockets have enough shooting so Jalen Green can keep scoring like an All-Star?

3. Who wins another athleticism vs. strength center matchup?

Mavs on offense | Rockets on defense

**** I decided to use the current 2024-25 season stats for this outlook after both teams have played four games. These stats show some team tendencies and characteristics but are still very skewed due to the small sample size. They’ll be much more descriptive once we reach the 10- or even 20-game mark.

A matchup between a top-10 offense and a top-10 defense. Under Udoka, the Rockets play an aggressive, in-your-face defensive style that forces turnovers (5th in the NBA at the moment) but also fouls frequently (21st). This creates an interesting dynamic against a Mavs offense that rarely turns the ball over (2nd in the NBA in turnover rate) but also doesn’t get to the line much (28th, or 3rd worst).

The Rockets have two elite defenders they can throw at Dončić in Dillon Brooks and Amen Thompson. Dončić vs. Brooks battles are always full of contact and often come down to how the game is called, especially so early in the season. Either Brooks ends up in early foul trouble, or he makes an impact with his physicality.