The Rockets take their 11-game winning streak into Dallas to take on the surging Mavericks
Well, here we go. The Houston Rockets and Dallas Mavericks. Both fighting for playoff implications. Both needing this win. Both on winning streaks.
We’ve already discussed how Houston’s remaining schedule is brutal. And injuries to three players who are considered core members of Houston’s future haven’t hurt the team yet on this winning streak, but this game feels like the one where everything catches up to the Rockets. Usually in sports, you can see winning streaks come to an end. There’s generally a big, emotional win that drains the winning team (Oklahoma City, in this case) and a couple of “hold onto your butts” close games against lesser teams (Utah). Eventually, the combination of the adrenaline of the run expiring and the fact that every team you face is gunning for you catches up and takes out the streakers.
That feels likely tonight. Not only do the Mavericks need to win to keep up the pace for an outright playoff spot, but Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving are playing well and primed to spoil the fun in Toyota Center. I expect they will be successful in their quest.
Tip-off
6pm CT
How To Watch
Space City Home Network
Injury Report
Rockets
Alperen Sengun-OUT (ankle, knee)
Cam Whitmore-OUT (knee)
Mavericks
Josh Green-GTD
The Line (as of this post)
Looking ahead because we can
Tuesday night in Minnesota against the Timberwolves