Rookie big man Alperen Sengun had 14 points and 11 rebounds in just 22 minutes on Wednesday, but Houston connected on just 4-of-28 from 3-point range (14.3%) in a 110-91 loss (box score) at Dallas.
Sengun connected on 6-of-12 shots from the field (50.0%), and he also had 2 steals and 2 assists. Other Houston players to score in double-figures included Jae’Sean Tate (13 points, 5 rebounds); Christian Wood (12 points, 10 rebounds); Kevin Porter Jr. (11 points, 5 assists); Dennis Schroder (11 points), and Josh Christopher (11 points).
But the story of the game was Houston’s relative inefficiency, particularly in the second half, versus the switching defense employed by Jason Kidd and his Mavericks. Rookie guard Jalen Green had his worst game in some time, scoring just 8 points in 32 minutes on 3-of-11 shooting (27.3%). Green missed all four of his 3-pointers, as well.
Also four turnovers. Just never in sync. https://t.co/kF71o9KuBI
— Jonathan Feigen (@Jonathan_Feigen) March 24, 2022
After leading by a point at halftime, the Rockets were outscored 58-38 in the second half. With Luka Doncic out with knee soreness, the Mavericks were led by starting guards Spencer Dinwiddie (26 points, 61.5% FG, 6 assists) and Jalen Brunson (28 points, 52.6% FG, 3 assists), who routinely collapsed Houston’s defense with hard drives to the bucket.
Scroll on for highlights and postgame reaction. By winning, the Mavericks (45-28) moved into a tie for the No. 4 seed in the Western Conference and potential home-court advantage in the first round of the playoffs. Meanwhile, the young and rebuilding Rockets (18-55) built upon their lead for the No. 1 positioning slot entering the 2022 NBA draft lottery.