The Dallas Mavericks are just now getting ready to play their first true road game of the season, as they’ll take on the Houston Rockets on Monday evening. And the Mavericks are in desperate need of a win, but they’ll need to get one against the talented Houston Rockets, down Anthony Davis and Kyrie Irving.
Both of these teams are in very similar situations, as they’re both missing their starting point guards. Irving is at least expected to come back at some point this season, as he’s recovering from his torn ACL in March, but the Rockets will be without Fred VanVleet all season, as he suffered his torn ACL about a month before the first game.
Houston started 0-2 with losses to the OKC Thunder in double overtime and a close one to the Detroit Pistons before demolishing the Brooklyn Nets, Toronto Raptors, and Boston Celtics by an average of 24.3 PPG.
Oct 22, 2025; Dallas, Texas, USA; Dallas Mavericks forward Anthony Davis (3) in action during the game against the San Antonio Spurs at American Airlines Center. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images / Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images
They’ve been able to survive not having a point guard by having Amen Thompson run point, who is a menace on defense and an A+ athlete. They also have a big man who can handle the ball and stretch the floor in Alperen Sengun, and arguably the greatest pure scorer in NBA history in Kevin Durant. That’s entirely different than the Mavericks, who don’t have a go-to scorer or a stretch big to counteract the lack of playmaking.
Dallas is coming off a 12-point loss to the Detroit Pistons in Mexico City, dropping them to 2-4 on the season. They do have two games against the abysmal New Orleans Pelicans coming up, as well as a rematch against the Washington Wizards.
There’s just no fix coming for this offense, and Houston’s starting five is perfectly set to cancel out everything the Mavericks want to do. And it’s ironic that the Rockets only realized they wanted to run their double-big lineup after Anthony Davis’ debut game last year, after the trade, and now they’ve found a way to run it better than the Mavs. Steven Adams is an animal on the glass, Sengun is incredibly versatile, and Jabari Smith Jr. is capable of making an open three.
Oct 24, 2025; Houston, Texas, USA; Houston Rockets forward Kevin Durant (7) talks with center Alperen Sengun (28) during the first quarter against the Detroit Pistons at Toyota Center. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-Imagn Images / Troy Taormina-Imagn Images
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Date/Time: Monday, November 3rd, 7 p.m. CST
Where: Toyota Center, Houston, Texas
Team Records: Mavericks 2-4, Rockets 3-2
TV/Streaming: NBA League Pass, KFAA, MavsTV, Space City Home Network
Spread (via FanDuel): Mavericks +12.5
Over/Under: 225.5
Moneyline: Rockets -650, Mavericks +480
Game odds refresh periodically and are subject to change. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem and wants help, call 1-800-GAMBLER
READ MORE: Mavericks’ Jason Kidd desperately optimistic about Kyrie Irving’s recovery
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