3 encouraging takeaways from Dallas Mavericks loss to Houston Rockets

Takeaway from Dallas Mavericks loss to Rockets: 1. C-Wood shows what he can do

The Mavs mustered just 92 points without Luka Doncic, but Christian Wood had 26 of them. The 6’10 big man showcased his entire skill set on Wednesday night, including this coast-to-coast score.

Wood is a key scorer for the Mavericks with or without number 77 in the lineup, and he delivered against the Rockets. C-Wood finished with eight rebounds, three assists, one steal, and one block to go with his 26 points. He made just nine of 22 from the field but was a perfect six of six from the free throw line on Wednesday.

It was surprising that coach Kidd did not turn to Wood more versus the Rockets. It was the first time since joining the team that he topped 30 minutes in a contest, but he only played 30. Dallas desperately needed scoring and shot creation without Luka, and it seemed like the perfect time to let Wood play 35 minutes. He did deal with a bit of foul trouble, and perhaps that was one of the concerns.

The Mavs need Christian Wood to become their second-leading scorer and a key cog in their offense. He is playing well as the sixth man, but a bit more playing time and production would do wonders for Dallas, who is seemingly in a close contest every night.

The Dallas Mavericks face the Denver Nuggets for two straight home games on Friday and Sunday. Expect Luka Doncic to be back in the lineup, and fans will not want to miss a second of the action, so please stay tuned.