Houston battles Dallas, seeking to overcome frustrating up-and-down performances and prove consistency is finally within reach.
On Saturday, January 31, the Houston Rockets (29–17) are back at Toyota Center to face the Dallas Mavericks (19–29) for the second time since the New Year- with consistency still the main ask.
The Rockets split another back-to-back this week, and the two games felt like mirror images. Houston spent 24 hours showing both extremes: first letting a 16-point first-quarter lead slip away at home against the Spurs, then walking into Atlanta and turning the Hawks into a second-half footnote.
Wednesday started as close to perfect as it gets. Houston dropped 36 points on 60-percent shooting, hit four threes, and assisted their way into a double-digit lead. Then the tempo flipped. San Antonio sped the game up, Houston got uncomfortable, and the offense started to crumble. After halftime, it fully collapsed. The Spurs took control and the Rockets fell 111-99.
Thursday in Atlanta opened the opposite way. Fatigue showed early, the legs were heavy, and the offense took a full half to find traction. Houston began 0-for-6 and spent much of the first half looking like its offense was still in Houston.
Lucky for the Rockets, the Hawks’ basket also had a lid on it, and the score stayed pretty close until halftime. After the break, Houston found real rhythm, turned stops into momentum, and drilled ten threes at 53-percent efficiency, putting Atlanta to bed 104-86.
Ime Udoka called Wednesday “a tale of two halves,” and honestly… it applies to both nights., which makes Saturday interesting, because Dallas arrives with its own fresh scar.
The Mavericks are coming off a 123-121 loss to the Charlotte Hornets- a game where they did plenty right and still lost the only part that matters: the last possession. Dallas owned the paint (60-38) and created extra chances, but a late bad pass with eight seconds left turned into a steal, a foul, and two free throws that decided it. One mistake. One swing. Game over.
That’s the warning for Houston. This stretch can’t be about playing to the opponent’s record. It has to be about playing to the moment. The Rockets can’t let a hot start turn into complacency, and they can’t wait until halftime to remember who they are.
Saturday is a litmus test. If Dallas controls the tone at any point in these 48 minutes, that’s not “just one game.” That’s the same problem showing up again. And there may be cause for concern.