Just one night after they were outclassed by the reigning defending champions, the Mavericks took a significant step in the right direction with Saturday’s quick turnaround against the Houston Rockets.
A tightly contested game broke open in the third quarter when the Mavericks went on a 33-9 run powered by their defense, which led to a plethora of easy baskets in transition. Cooper Flagg’s vicious one-handed dunk solidified a 122-109 win over the Rockets. The rookie forward flexed toward the bench to celebrate another feisty dunk and another impressive win for the Mavericks.
Anthony Davis regained his All-Star form after an uncharacteristic showing in Friday’s lopsided loss in Oklahoma City. The Mavericks big man scored a team-high 29 points with eight rebounds, taking advantage of a shorthanded Rockets team.
Mavericks
Both teams were on the second night of a back-to-back, but Dallas proved to have fresher legs on Saturday, finishing with 28 fast-break points.
“I thought our defense was really good tonight,” Mavericks coach Jason Kidd said. “Being able to rebound the ball and the pace, especially on a back-to-back. Games tend to be a little slower, but I thought the guys did a great job of the pace, getting deflections and steals and being able to turn them into points.”
Davis, who scored a season-low two points Friday, was one of the driving forces in the Mavericks’ dominant third quarter, when they outscored Houston 37-20 to break open the game.
Naji Marshall, who remained in the starting lineup despite PJ Washington’s return, punctuated the period with a buzzer-beating 3-pointer that brought fans in American Airlines Center to their feet.
There wasn’t much time for the Mavericks, nor Davis, to dwell on their disappointing loss to the Thunder. Instead, it was an opportunity to seize the moment, since Houston played without All-Star big man Alperen Sengun, who missed Saturday’s game with an illness.
Brandon Williams was the unsung hero of Saturday’s game. He tied a season-high 20 points and five assists while providing a scoring boost off the bench, which was vital in the absence of Klay Thompson, who missed the game with left knee soreness.
Williams was a force with his drives downhill, exemplified by his forceful one-handed dunk late in the second quarter. His midrange shooting was also an added bonus.
Flagg added 19 points, five rebounds and three assists. Marshall finished with 15 points. Ryan Nembhard continued his consistent run of productivity with 11 points and seven assists.
The Mavericks had a three-play sequence in the third quarter that included a transition dunk by Davis and two slams by Washington, who celebrated his much-needed return with a passionate scream. Washington missed four games because of a right ankle sprain and finished with 14 points, seven rebounds and tied a career high with five steals.
“It felt great,” Washington said. “Just super excited to be out there with my guys and get a win. It’s been a long four games for me, but I’m just happy to be back.”
Kevin Durant, fresh off eclipsing 31,000 points in Friday’s win over Phoenix, picked up where he left off and led the Rockets with 27 points on 11 of 20 shooting. Jabari Smith Jr. added 22 points and eight rebounds. Aaron Holiday had 19 points off the bench.
The Mavericks hosted a special guest for Saturday’s game against the Rockets. Dirk Nowitzki made his first public appearance at American Airlines Center since April 9, when Luka Doncic played against his former team for the first time since he was traded to the Los Angeles Lakers.
After a quality win Saturday, the Mavericks will receive a much-needed reprieve of five days before their next game on Friday, when they host the five-win Brooklyn Nets at AAC.
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