Dallas Mavs Try to Bounce Back From Bitter Loss to OKC; Houston Rockets Hope New PGs Shine
The Dallas Mavericks return home after a tough loss in Oklahoma City featuring an encore of Russell Westbrook's All-Star Game MVP performance. In addition, cross-state rivals the Houston Rockets start their second half of the season with new players on deck.
Both teams were active player transaction-wise during the All-Star break, leading to new acquisitions.
The Mavs took Amar'e Stoudemire via free agency following his contract buyout from the New York Knicks.
Get Our Latest News for FREE
The 6-foot-10-inch, big man, however, opted to take a rest and watch his team fall on the road to Oklahoma City on Thursday, 89-104, because of Westbrook's 34 points and 10 rebounds.
The Mavs badly missed the services of Stoudemire as they got outrebounded by the Thunder 39-62. They also converted only 36 percent of their field goals.
He said that the two-game rest is for him to easily learn his new club's playing system under Rick Carlisle. Stoudemire will make his debut as a Maverick when Dallas hosts Charlotte on Sunday.
The Mavs got Rajon Rondo back, fortunately. The former Boston Celtics star returned from a face injury in the Thunder game and will likely get minutes as well against the Rockets.
While the Mavs successfully landed Stoudemire, the Rockets went through the trade deadline storm and took two unheralded point guards.
Houston acquired Pablo Prigioni from New York for Alexey Shved and a couple of second-round choices.
"Prigioni is a veteran guy who has played a lot of big games over in Europe and Alexey wasn't really a guy that was in our rotation," Coach Kevin McHale explained the trade.
In a separate deal with the Philadelphia 76ers, the Rockets took K.J. McDaniels for Isaiah Canaan and a draft choice.
Houston will likely reactivate Terrence Jones after suffering from flu, although Dwight Howard remains sidelined with a knee injury.
