The Western Conference has been chock-full of interesting storylines, emerging superstars and drama, so it is only fitting that the Houston Rockets (38-36) swoop in to give fans one more big plot twist at the end of the regular season. They used a stunning 11-game winning streak to catapult themselves into the NBA Play-In Tournament conversation, which forces the Golden State Warriors to enter desperation mode even earlier than expected.
Though, all it took was one streak-snapping loss to greatly jeopardize the Rockets' chances. Unfortunately for them, Luka Doncic is not sympathetic to another team's comeback story.
The Slovenian sensation dominated Houston with 47 points, 12 rebounds and seven assists to lead the Dallas Mavericks to a pivotal 125-107 victory in the Toyota Center. The outcome of this Lone Star State showdown puts both teams on completely different trajectories, with the winner now two games clear of the Play-In Tournament, and the loser two games outside of it.
It is important for fans to still appreciate the big-picture progress this squad has made during the last few weeks. Houston is displaying tremendous resilience with Alperen Sengun sidelined and can build off its late-year breakthrough no matter where it finishes in the standings.
The regular season is not done yet, though. The Rockets have eight games left to solidify their terrific turnaround. They begin an arduous stretch that pits them against five consecutive postseason or Play-In teams, including a critical matchup versus the Warriors, and another meting with the Mavericks.
In order to start a new winning streak, it is important Houston understands where it went wrong on Sunday.
Rockets' Ime Udoka breaks down loss in simple terms
“We didn't play our best tonight,” Rockets head coach Ime Udoka said, per ESPN, after the Mavericks halted their momentum. “Doncic was too comfortable. Not to diminish what we did, but let's get it back going. … It's one game. One guy played really well for them. A few others made shots, but we didn't particularly play great.”
Firing off 11-straight victories is of huge significance to a team and fan base that has been yearning for consistently positive results for the last couple of years. The organization spent a substantial amount of money this past offseason to expedite the rebuild process, and it is starting to pay dividends. Following the arrival of both Fred VanVleet and Dillon Brooks, Alperen Sengun and Jalen Green have elevated their respective games to new heights.
The hiring of Udoka is also yielding clear growth. Houston has plenty of reasons to be proud right now, but it cannot lose sight of the ultimate goal– sneaking into the NBA Play-In Tournament. Udoka's words ring true. The blowout loss to Dallas, which saw Green shoot just 5-of-15 from the field, is just “one game.”
This group has gained invaluable experience by playing with its back firmly against the wall for such a long period of time. But that experience does not just have to carry over into next season. It can be used to fuel the Rockets through the challenges that lie immediately ahead.
After falling only two wins shy of sweeping the month of March, they are hungry to taste success in April. A tense but exciting playoff push continues on Tuesday night against the Minnesota Timberwolves.
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