There are few if any words that can accurately depict the hellish landscape that lay before the Dallas Mavericks (33-35) after their 133-96 loss to the Houston Rockets (42-25) on Friday at the Toyota Center. And, frankly, my dear Mavs fans, I don’t have the will, the gumption or the strength of character to try to summon them.
Fourteen regular season games remain on this horrific walkabout through the basketball wasteland after the injury-riddled Mavericks rolled over and exposed their bellies with just nine players available against the Rockets. Houston forward Tari Eason led all scorers with 30 points in the win, while Brandon Williams led the Mavs with 25.
Spencer Dinwiddie, who chipped in 20 for Dallas, kept the Mavericks afloat in the first quarter. He stepped into a 3-pointer at the top of the key with 4:45 left in the frame to keep the Mavs connected, down just 16-15 as the rest of the offense got off to a slow start. Then he scored three buckets in the quarter’s final 2:15, including a driving score with just 17 seconds remaining to tie the game, 25-25. Houston took a 27-25 lead after one after Aaron Holliday’s frantic driving score down on the other end just 10 seconds later. The Mavericks gave themselves a chance to stay in the game by turning the ball over just once in the first.
But the Mavs couldn’t accomplish anything in the second quarter, and the rout was on. The two-point deficit turned into 13 points before halftime. The Houston lead grew to as many as 19 early in the third, as Dinwiddie became the only consistent shot creator. His scooping drive with 8:47 left in the third trimmed the Rockets’ lead to 17 and gave him 20 points for the game on 9-of-13 shooting. The rest of the team was 14-for-38 to that point.
If you turned your head to yawn and contemplate the meaninglessness of life, when you looked back at the score, the Mavs were all of a sudden down 80-57. This is your reminder to consult a physician if you find yourself experiencing breaks with reality or lost time.
The Mavs fell behind 99-70 going into the fourth quarter, and all that was left was to wrap this shit sandwich in foil and save a little pain for another day. Williams would score 11 of his team-high 25 in the fourth.
Max Min Christie
Cormac Karl “Max” Christie is officially having a rough go of it this month, and Friday’s game against the Rockets may be his rock bottom. He came into Friday’s game shooting just 34.3% from the field in March, after going off for 14.1 points per game on 47.8% from the floor in February. He missed his first 11 shots against the Rockets, repeatedly misfiring in the mid-range game and from beyond the arc. He finally converted on a drive to the lane for his first and only bucket of the game with 8:58 left in the game to make it 108-75.
Christie was a pleasant surprise in the immediate aftermath of the Luka Dončić trade, scoring 15 or more points in his first seven games with the team. He’s come crashing back to earth lately, but it’s important to keep in mind that he’s just 22. He finished the night 1-of-13 from the field for just two points and four rebounds in the lopsided loss. Klay Thompson was just as bad on Friday, finishing with five points and nine rebounds on 2-of-16 shooting.
0 Days Since Last Injury
The urge to cry out to the heavens in agony at the sight of another Mavericks injury has left us. We are no longer able to feel feelings.
The same, unfortunately, cannot be said for the tendons, ligaments and bones inside the bodies of the Mavericks. Dante Exum, who has been in and out of the starting lineup as the injuries have mounted then mounted some more, was escorted back to the Mavericks locker room by a member of the training staff in the second quarter with what the team initially called a left hand injury.
Dallas had nine players available coming into the game after PJ Washington was a late scratch. He was upgraded to questionable before Friday’s game but was ultimately unable to go. The hope is that Washington will be able to return from his ankle injury on Sunday, when the Mavs face the Philadelphia 76ers at home.
Yet another injury hit for Dallas: Mavericks guard Dante Exum has suffered a broken bone in his left hand, sources tell ESPN. Exum is now out indefinitely. pic.twitter.com/7D2S0NNjUM
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) March 15, 2025
Later in the game, ESPN’s Shams Charania reported that Exum’s hand was broken, putting the Aussie guard out indefinitely, which likely means the rest of the season.
Rebounds: No, thank you
One thing the cavalcade of injuries has affected as the season has painfully worn on is the Mavs’ ability to grab a rebound on either end of the floor. Houston out-rebounded Dallas by an astounding 34-15 margin in the first half, including an 8-1 advantage in offensive boards. The Mavericks tallied just four rebounds total in the second quarter, as the Rockets’ lead ballooned from just two points to 13. Houston took a 62-49 advantage into halftime.
Dallas entered Friday’s game 24th in the league in rebounding differential, a stat in which the Mavs have continued to slide down the league ladder since Anthony Davis, Daniel Gafford and Dereck Lively have been unavailable. Houston out-rebounded Dallas 72-39 on the night.