It’s an all-Texas affair in the NBA tonight as the Rockets take on the Mavericks. Who do we like in the first meeting of the season between the 2 teams? Find out below in our Houston Rockets vs Dallas Mavericks predictions!

We see a different Houston team this season. The Rockets’ defense has moved up 11 spots in opponent points per game, leaving just 107 per game compared to 113.2 last season. We are also witnessing the rise of Jalen Green, who has increased his scoring average by almost 10 points per game and knocked down almost 5 triples per game. Will all that be enough to beat the division rival Mavs? Houston is just 2-8 SU in the last 10 meetings; it has won just once in its last seven visits to Dallas.

Dallas will also be happy with the way it started the new season. The Mavericks are coming off a tough road win in Minnesota, where Luka Doncic carried them in the clutch. The Mavs are undefeated at home through two games played, but this will be their toughest test yet after beating San Antonio and Utah in the first two games. For the Mavs, it’s all about staying healthy during the playoffs. Ultimately, this team will be assessed in May and June on how it performs; Until then, the main priority is to make Doncic’s life as easy as possible so he doesn’t get hurt.

I’m aiming for the points total. The Rockets have only exceeded 228 points once in 4 games, the improvements on defense are quite noticeable. They are 25th in pace, while the Mavs are 17th. The under for Dallas has also cashed in 4 of the 5 home games.

Rockets vs Mavericks prediction: Under 228 (-110) available at time of publication. Playable on that song.

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