With the 2019-20 NBA season finally set to resume, the Houston Rockets will battle the rival Dallas Mavericks for a third and final time.
Friday’s showdown from the league’s Disney World “bubble” in Florida carries significant stakes for both teams. With a win, the Rockets (40-24) could extend their lead over the Mavericks (40-27) in the Western Conference standings and the race for playoff seeding to 2.5 games. With a loss, Houston’s advantage would fall to a half-game.
The Rockets are led by an All-Star backcourt of recent MVPs James Harden and Russell Westbrook, while the Mavs are headlined by rising star Luka Doncic and 7-foot-3 big man Kristaps Porziņģis. Dallas has the NBA’s No. 1 offense by overall net rating and No. 17 defense, while Houston ranks No. 2 and No. 16 in those categories, respectively.
The Mavericks defeated the Rockets in November, 137-123, while Houston returned the favor with a 128-121 victory in the most recent meeting between the teams on Jan. 31. When asked before Thursday’s team practice about the challenges of facing Dallas, Harden said:
Shooting. They have one of the best offenses in the league. Our defense is going to have to be engaged every possession. Make sure our talking is where it needs to be, and rebound the basketball.
With both offenses elite, the result could hinge on whether the smaller Rockets can follow through on their vow to improve defensively.
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For both teams, Friday’s contest will be their first regular-season game since the 2019-20 season’s March 11 suspension due to COVID-19.
Tip-off is set for 8:00 p.m. Central. The game will be televised regionally via a Rockets broadcast on AT&T SportsNet Southwest, as well as nationally on ESPN. Streaming options are available for subscribers to either channel. It will also be accessible via NBA League Pass.
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