The Houston Rockets will look to keep rolling when they host the Dallas Mavericks Tuesday morning. Will Houston add to the Mavs’ woes? Or, will Dallas trip up the Rockets?

Catch this game live on January 5, at 9 AM, Manila time.

Houston Rockets vs. Dallas Mavericks Game Predictions & Preview – January 5, 2021

HOME TEAM: Houston Rockets (2-2, 2-0 at home)

So far, it looks like the Rockets are winning the John Wall for Russell Westbrook swap with the Washington Wizards. Wall has been terrific early in his stint with his new team, as he’s averaged 25.0 points and 7.5 assists with the Rockets, albeit in just two games.

The Rockets have gone 2-0 in games in which Wall has played, with both games against the Sacramento Kings. Wall paced the Rockets with 28 points in Houston’s 102-94 home win over the Kings last Sunday, showing that he can take care of business as the team’s de facto leader whenever James Harden is out.

Harden did not play in that game due to an ankle injury and he’s listed as questionable for the Tuesday’s date with Dallas. Wall’s speed can be a problem for Dallas, but the Mavs might also just become the next victims of Christian Wood’s rise.

Wood has been the steal of the offseason, as he’s given the Rockets a replacement for Clint Capela, except better offensively. Woods is averaging 23.8 points on 55.7 percent shooting from the field while also hitting 35.3 percent of his shots from deep. 

As for the team, the Rockets have seen the total hit the over in three of four games.

ROAD TEAM: Dallas Mavericks (2-4, 1-3 on the road)

The Mavericks might not have Luka Doncic against the Rockets. That’s not good news for Dallas, who lost their second game in a row on Monday at the hands of the Chicago Bulls on the road, 118-108.

Doncic apparently hurt his left quad in the win over the Miami Heat at home last Saturday, and with him out against Chicago, the Mavs gave the keys to the offense to former National College Player of the Year, Jalen Brunson when they battled the Bulls. Brunson didn’t disappoint, as he scored 31 points on 11-of-17 shooting from the field.

Expect the Villanova product to start again if Doncic misses another game. In any case, Tim Hardaway and Josh Richardson have to shoot better. The two combined for an inefficient 9-of-29 shooting from the floor against Chicago. Hardaway went 2 of 9 from deep, again showing how big of a black hole he can be on offense.

With or without Doncic, Dallas needs to share the ball more. The Mavs are 25th in the NBA in passes made per game and last overall with 21.2 assists per contest.

The Mavericks are 3-1 against the spread in four of their last four games against the Rockets.

PREDICTIONS:

The Rockets without James Harden function better as a unit than the Mavs minus Luka Doncic. Even if both players suit up, the Rockets are going to have a much more fluid offensive game than Dallas, which is struggling without Kristaps Porzingis. The Rockets win this game, 120-115.

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