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The Dallas Mavericks will end their two-game home stand when they head on the road to face the Houston Rockets at the Toyota Center on Friday, January 7th.
Coming off a solid 99-82 win against the Golden State Warriors, the Mavericks are 20-18 on the season. Meanwhile, the Houston Rockets are coming off a thrilling 114-111 win against the Washington Wizards. With a game-winning buzzer-beater, the Rockets are now 11-25 on the season.
Match Details
Fixture - Dallas Mavericks vs Houston Rockets | 2021-22 NBA Season.
Date & Time - Friday, January 7th, 2022; 8:00 PM ET (Saturday, January 8th, 2022; 6:30 AM IST).
Venue - Toyota Center, Houston, TX,
Dallas Mavericks Preview
The Dallas Mavericks have looked like an extremely competitive side, especially at the start of the year.
Coming off a statement win against the Golden State Warriors, the Mavericks also saw the jersey retirement of Dirk Nowitzki at the game. Playing some solid defense along with efficient offensive rotations, the Mavericks held their own against the best in the West.
Although they almost let things slip at the start of the second half, they regained their mojo to take the win.
Thanks to a great performance from young superstar Luka Doncic, Dallas also enjoyed handy contributions from Dorian Finney-Smith and Jalen Brunson in the game. Now on a four-game winning streak, the Mavericks continue their rise through the Western Conference leaderboard.
However, the team may face some issues, as Doncic has joined the injury report. Listed as questionable due to a sprained ankle suffered, the Slovenian may sit out this game to recuperate.
Key Player - Jalen Brunson
The Dallas Mavericks could rely on Jalen Brunson to be a key player in this game against the Houston Rockets.
Brunson has emerged as a key contributor for the Mavericks this season. Often coming off the bench, Brunson has been a consistent performer. The guard has moved into the starting rotation in the absence of Doncic.
With Doncic out of the rotation, Brunson has averaged over 20 points and seven assists per game. Making a strong case to be a starter, Brunson recorded 15 points with some key plays down the stretch in his last outing.
Considering Doncic's potential absence, the Mavericks could need Brunson to step up and facilitate the team's offensive rotations.
Dallas Mavericks Predicted Lineup
G - Jalen Brunson | G - Reggie Bullock | F - Dorian Finney-Smith | F - Maxi Kleber | C - Dwight Powell.
Houston Rockets Preview
The Houston Rockets are coming off an intense win against the Washington Wizards. With a game-winning buzzer-beater from Kevin Porter Jr., the Rockets will head into this game against Dallas with immense motivation.
Although Houston entered the fourth quarter with a ten-point lead, Washington managed to cut it down, eventually tying things up with less than 15 seconds to go.
Porter Jr.'s isolation on the left wing was a thing of beauty. Sizing up Raul Neto, followed by a pound dribble transitioning into a side step three, the Rockets emerged victorious on the night.
Coming off a one-game suspension, Porter Jr. put on an impressive display. However, contributions from Jalen Green and Eric Gordon on the scoring front, and Jae'Sean Tate and Christian Wood's contributions in rebounding helped Houston stay the course.
Key Player - Christian Wood
The Houston Rockets could depend on Christian Wood to play a key role against the Dallas Mavericks.
Wood has shown tremendous growth as a player this season. In terms of sheer potential, Wood continues to deliver at both ends of the floor for the Houston Rockets. Recording averages of 16.9 points and 10.4 rebounds for the season, he is one of the best players in Houston's roster.
Coming off a solid performance of 22 points and 11 rebounds against the Wizards, Wood will look to play a key role against the Mavericks as well.
Despite being marked by two athletic big men, Dwight Powell and Maxi Kleber, Wood played a key role in stretching the floor. That also helped him play decoy to open up lanes for his teammates.
Wood has also been a monster on the rebounding glass against Dallas in the past. He recorded 16 points and 17 rebounds in the previous meeting between the two teams. So the Rockets will hope that their big man can replicate that performance to ensure another win for the team.
Houston Rockets Predicted Lineup
G - Kevin Porter Jr. | G - Jalen Green | F - Eric Gordon | F - Jae'Sean Tate | C - Christian Wood.
Mavericks vs Rockets Match Prediction
The Houston Rockets will enjoy a few advantages against the Dallas Mavericks. While home-court is the obvious one, the Rockets will also enjoy the availability of some solid bigs in their rotation.
Although Dallas aren't undersized by any means, the absence of two star players could see the team a bit out of sorts. However, the Mavericks' overall roster strength and the continued productivity from their bench rotations could help them emerge victorious on the night.
Where to watch Mavericks vs Rockets game?
The Dallas Mavericks vs Houston Rockets game will be locally broadcast on AT&T Sportsnet Southwest. The game will also be available on the NBA’s League Pass platform. Fans can listen to the game by tuning into 790 AM/S and 93.3 FM as well.
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