The Dallas Mavericks are still reeling from a brutal 37-point deficit against the Houston Rockets last week, but they’ve got to shake it off fast because the NBA Cup group stage starts tonight. Kevin Durant and the Rockets kick off West Group A play against Cooper Flagg and the Mavericks, and getting a 1-0 start here is absolutely crucial if Dallas wants any shot at the knockout rounds.
Welcome to the NBA Cup’s Group of Death
Let’s just call West Group A what it is: a flat-out “group of death.” Houston, with their dominant defense, might just be the best team in the entire league. Then you’ve got Denver still rocking Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray. Utah has serious talent, even if they’re banged up a bit. Phoenix has talent, too, but they’re still searching for a real point guard. And our Mavericks? They’ve surprisingly jumped out to a 3-2 record, which is better than anyone expected. But getting through this group is gonna be a grind, especially after what went down last week.
Remember that opener against Houston? The Mavericks were down by *37 points* at one point, eventually losing by 18. That was a rough one. Houston’s defensive intensity just completely overwhelmed Dallas’s guards, making it impossible for them to even run an offense. The Rockets completely dominated transition play, too, just shellacking Dallas on their home court. Houston’s still rolling, by the way. They’ve got a top five defense in the NBA since that opener, and their offense has only been held under 120 points once in their four wins, a 114-110 battle against the San Antonio Spurs last Friday.
Dallas’s Fight Back and the Tournament King
Now, it’s not all doom and gloom for Dallas. Since that absolute beatdown, the Mavericks have actually won three out of their last four games and climbed to the tenth best offensive rating in the NBA. That’s a huge turnaround, and it shows they’re figuring some things out on that end of the floor. You gotta expect them to be way more comfortable trying to score against Houston this time around. But here’s the kicker: sometimes, the best defense is a good offense, and Dallas needs to bring both if they want to hang with Houston tonight.
This game, though, is about more than just a regular season win: it’s about the NBA Cup, and that means one thing: “Tournament Dusty May.” If there’s one coach you want at the helm when the stakes are high in tournament play, it’s Dusty May. He’s simply the best in the business. Can his tournament magic get the Mavericks past a Rockets team that just smacked them silly? Dallas needs to start 1-0 in this brutal group, and the stage is set for a wild ride.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Mavs Moneyball.
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