Rockets' Depth and Health Should Overwhelm a Thin Mavericks Frontcourt

By NBA Stat Desk How we produce articles

Houston's full roster and returning playmakers look like a tough matchup for an injury-hit Dallas team.

DAL @ HOU Oct 22, 2026 at 12:30 AM UTC

The most important storyline in Houston is on Dallas's side of the ledger. The Mavericks carry a lengthy injury report, and Santi Aldama (knee) and Dereck Lively II (foot) appear on all three of the reports I reviewed. Yahoo lists both as questionable, while SI has both out. Tarik Biberovic and Jett Howard also show up on some reports. If Aldama and Lively are unavailable, Dallas loses frontcourt size and rim protection against a Houston team that should be able to attack the paint with confidence.

Houston, meanwhile, has no injuries listed, so the full roster should be available. That includes Fred VanVleet and Steven Adams, who are back after the Rockets won 52 games without them. VanVleet looked sharp in the preseason in his first game since the September 2025 ACL tear, with 17 points, 7 assists, 2 steals and five 3s in 24 minutes. His return adds playmaking and depth, and Adams adds more bulk inside.

The addition of Marcus Smart gives Houston another layer. His ability to run the offense on the ball should let Reed Sheppard play off the ball in second units rather than carry the creation load. That kind of rotation flexibility matters most against a Dallas group that may be shuffling its own lineup.

Dallas does have Cooper Flagg, who leads the team in scoring at 21 points per game and in steals. He is the one player capable of keeping the Mavericks competitive, but the team enters on a two-game losing streak after defeats to New Orleans and Atlanta. The teams split two recent meetings, so Dallas is not without hope. Still, Houston's health and depth should decide this one.

Prediction: Rockets 112, Mavericks 103.

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