Mavericks crush Rockets in Houston without Luka Doncic

The Dallas Mavericks ruled out superstar Luka Doncic just before tipoff with a right ankle sprain. The 22-year-old was injured in the final minutes on Wednesday night as the Mavericks defeated the Warriors on the night they retired Dirk Nowitzki’s jersey.

Dallas split the previous ten games Doncic missed this season with Jalen Brunson breaking out. The 25-year-old played so well that the Mavs left him in the starting five next to Luka when he returned. Over the last 13 games, Brunson is averaging 19.2 points, 6.8 assists, and 3.2 rebounds on 48.8 percent shooting from the field. Dallas needed Brunson to keep it up in Houston.

JB led the Mavericks to one of their best offensive performances of the season in Houston on Jan. 7. Dallas scored 30-plus in each of the first three quarters to propel them to a 130-106 victory for the Mavs fifth straight win. Here is a closer look at their performance.

Dallas Mavericks dominated Houston Rockets without Luka Doncic

Luka was out with an ankle injury and Kristaps Porzingis missed his fourth straight game in the health and safety protocols. The Mavs were without their top two scorers and head coach Jason Kidd entered the protocols on Friday, but the offense saw no ill effects as they dropped 43 in the opening quarter and held a 20-point advantage after one. Dallas never looked back on Friday night in Houston.

Jalen Brunson had 15 points and ten assists in just 25 minutes of action against the Rockets. He made seven of his 11 fields, and the Mavericks outscored Houston by 31 in with JB on the floor.

Josh Green set a new career-high with 17 points in 25 minutes off the bench. The second-year guard is finally looking comfortable in the NBA, and he continues to improve his game. Green is a player to watch as the season progresses.

It was the third time this season Dallas topped 130 points in a game. They shot 54.4 percent from the field and made 17 3-pointers in the win in Houston. The Mavs had six players in double figures as they dominated the Rockets.

Doncic was in Houston supporting his teammates, and the 22-year-old superstar did not seem worried about the injury during Wednesday night’s postgame interview. Fans will be watching his status closely ahead of Sunday’s game against the Chicago Bulls at the American Airlines Center. Stay tuned for all the latest on the Dallas Mavericks at The Smoking Cuban.