By Leobert Julian A. de la Peña
The waxing-hot Dallas Mavericks squad proved to be too much for the Houston Rockets after snapping its 11-game winning streak, 125-107, in the ongoing NBA regular season on April 1, 2024.
Eager to halt Houston’s one-month surge while cementing its spot in the Western Conference playoff picture, the Mavericks flipped its booster packs against the Rockets to become the first team to take them down in almost a month.
Luka Doncic was a menace on the court after blasting the Rockets with 47 big points derived from an efficient 18/30 shooting from the field.
Aside from his majestic offensive performance, the Slovenian superstar also stuffed the stat sheets and tallied 12 rebounds, seven assists, and two steals.
What was so impressive about Doncic’s massive performance is that he only needed three quarters to reach the 40-point mark and barely played in the final frame.
Backstopping Doncic during Dallas’ streak-busting victory was his back-court mate Kyrie Irving who dropped 25 points, seven dimes, and three rebounds.
The Mavericks immediately buckled to work in the opening quarter as their efficient shooting steered them to a 36-24 advantage.
Dallas didn’t stop and ramped up their intensity in the following quarter and built a commanding 21-point advantage, 66-45, heading into the last two quarters.
Despite Jabari Smith Jr.’s resurgence in the third that helped the Rockets trim their deficit, the Mavericks weathered the storm and put up a 34-point production to officially close Houston’s door in the final canto.
The Mavericks will look to pick up where they left off on April 3, 2024, as they challenge Stephen Curry and the Golden State Warriors.
