Fourth-quarter collapses cost the Mavericks two straight. Late leads evaporate due to crucial breakdowns and defensive lapses, leaving wins within reach but ultimately lost.
HOUSTON — The Dallas Mavericks didn’t trail all night in Mexico City until it mattered most. Two days later, the same story played out again in Houston.
Dallas’ 122–110 loss to the Detroit Pistons and 110–102 defeat against the Houston Rockets shared an unmistakable theme: solid effort for three quarters, followed by costly breakdowns in the fourth. The Mavericks were outscored 35–17 in the final period against Detroit and 28–19 down the stretch in Houston, dropping both games after holding late leads.
“We got good looks, but couldn’t get the stops,” head coach Jason Kidd said after the loss to the Rockets. “Some shots we normally make didn’t go down. The plan was to attack and spray the ball, and we executed that for most of the night.”
In Mexico City, Dallas entered the fourth quarter up six points but collapsed under relentless pressure from Jalen Duren and Cade Cunningham. Duren dominated inside with 33 points and 10 rebounds, while Cunningham picked apart the defense with a career-high 18 assists. Detroit closed on a 17–4 run, exposing Dallas’ inability to match intensity in crunch time.
“They dominated us in the paint,” Kidd said after that loss. “Give them credit. They were good in the fourth quarter. It’s hard to win in this league. It’s not an excuse — you have to play with the guys that you have.”
Against Houston, the Mavericks were once again within striking distance until the closing minutes. After P.J. Washington tied the game at 99 with a three-point play, Houston’s Kevin Durant hit back-to-back threes to push the Rockets ahead. Amen Thompson then blocked Cooper Flagg’s late three-point attempt, sealing Dallas’ third straight loss.
Washington felt the Mavericks’ decision-making late in games needs to improve if they’re going to stop letting winnable contests slip away.
“We started trapping and got a little loose on our rotations,” Washington said. “They went to the line a few times. We came down trying to get into a pick-and-roll and make a play, but it didn’t go our way. We’ve got to be better in those situations — get better shots and execute down the stretch.”
The numbers back it up. Over their past two games, the Mavericks have been outscored by a combined 25 points in fourth quarters, shooting just 35.9% from the field and 25.8% from three during that stretch. Meanwhile, opponents have hit 55% of their attempts and controlled the glass when it mattered most.
Without Anthony Davis, Kyrie Irving, and Dereck Lively II, Kidd has relied on patchwork lineups that often struggle to generate late-game offense. D’Angelo Russell has been the primary closer, but his shooting cooled off in Houston after a 31-point night against Detroit.
Still, Kidd said the answer isn’t to change who’s on the floor — it’s about trust and composure.
“It has to be collective,” Kidd said. “Some pieces are missing, but we’re generating the right looks. We’ve got to keep trusting the pass and playing together.”
The Mavericks return home Wednesday to face the New Orleans Pelicans, looking to turn strong starts into complete games.
As Washington put it bluntly: “We played three great quarters, but the fourth could’ve been better. We just need to play a full 48 minutes and close out.”