Luka Doncic, Mavs sink Rockets with late run

*submits Rookie of the Year ballot for Luka Doncic 6 months in advance*

The rookie led the Mavericks with a team-high 21 points, including a personal 11-0 run to end the game to defeat the Rockets on Saturday night.

The game was incredibly competitive throughout, with the Rockets and Mavs trading leads and momentum shifts. However, throughout most of the first three quarters, the lead landed in Dallas’s hands. But Houston was able to keep pace with Dallas every step in the way. Dallas never led by more than eight points.

However, the fourth quarter saw Houston go on its best run of the game, an 18-7 run that spanned the first nine minutes of the fourth quarter, to lead by eight points with just 3:09 left on the clock. No more Rockets points were scored, and no more Mavericks points were scored by anyone not named Luka Doncic.

Doncic went into domination mode and totally took the game into his own hands like a 25 year-old, in his prime, multiple All-Star would do. He’s 19 years old and 22 games into his NBA career.

Doncic’s run spoiled a fantastic performance from James Harden with 35 points and eight assists. Chris Paul also played his best game in recent memory, with 23 points on 10-20 shooting, to go with eight assists of his own.

The Rockets were playing well for the majority of the game. The team shot above 30 percent from three, but yet again fell into the trap against a team late, resulting in the team’s third straight loss.

Lo and behold, tonight will be marked in the history books as the night Luka Doncic offically became a Rockets killer. And you know this won’t be the last time he pulls a stunt like this. He’s likely going to be doing this for years in Mavericks blue, crushing the hearts and souls of Rockets fans.

The Rockets head back to Houston in disarray, but hopefully a few days off and a solid practice or two will bring the Rockets back on track for a challenging schedule over the next few games. The next game on that schedule falls on Tuesday when the Rockets host the Trail Blazers. Tipoff is at 7 p.m. CT.

Box Score