Rockets Discussed By Mavericks Coach Ahead of Preseason Opener

The Rockets will be featured in international action

Feb 8, 2025; Dallas, Texas, USA; Dallas Mavericks guard Kyrie Irving (11) and Houston Rockets forward Amen Thompson (1) in action during the game between the Dallas Mavericks and the Houston Rockets at the American Airlines Center. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images | USA TODAY Sports via Reuters Connect

Later this week, the Houston Rockets will face the divisional rival Dallas Mavericks in preseason action. The teams are scheduled to face off in Macao, as the latest installment in the NBA China Games series.

The upcoming match could serve as a first look at Kyrie Irving and Cooper Flagg teaming up on the court. Irving is set to return from a season-ending ACL injury, while Flagg is entering his sophomore year in the NBA.

Coming off a 52-30 record, Houston is heading into the match with a lot of upside. Per Dallas Sports Journal, Mavericks head coach Dusty May discussed what challenges the Rockets could give his team.

“Well, they’re going to expose some things because of the way they play and how hard they play and their athleticism and their switchability, but also then their skill on offense will challenge some parts defensively. So it will be a fact-finding mission. We want to win every drill. We want to win every shooting competition. But winning is not going to be the primary objective.”

Top Storylines

Rockets point guard Fred VanVleet is expected to appear in at least one of the two Macao games. Like Irving, VanVleet was sidelined for the 2025-2026 season with an ACL injury. He has been a full participant in Rockets training camp.

Despite VanVleet being anticipated to return as the team’s starting point guard, his starter status is the most vulnerable when considering the strength of Houston’s projected lineup. In addition to potential limitations to prevent re-injury, the 32-year-old guard has dipped to 14.1 points per game.

There are also numerous backup guards, such as Marcus Smart, Reed Sheppard, and Bruce Thornton, that could make a strong case for a rotational promotion. The 22-year-old Sheppard has the best chance of the group to crack into the starting lineup, as he averaged 13.5 points, 3.4 assists, and 1.5 steals over 82 games last season.

With Kevin Durant, Alperen Sengun, and Amen Thompson all having the potential to earn an All-Star selection in 2027, there isn’t expected to be much positional change to be made by head coach Ime Udoka. Still, the second unit, which could feature Bogdan Bogdanovic and Steven Adams, will have a chance to showcase their talents.

Overall, the Rockets' preseason action could answer many questions from the offseason. With the franchise gaining momentum in the Western Conference, there should be a sense of urgency to optimize lineups for next season.