Will the Houston Rockets Double-Team Luka Doncic Early?

The Houston Rockets were overwhelmed by Luka Doncic in their last matchup. Will Ime Udoka double-team Doncic early to take the ball out of his hands?

Oct 23, 2024; Houston, Texas, USA; Houston Rockets head coach Ime Udoka reacts during the third quarter against the Charlotte Hornets at Toyota Center. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-Imagn Images / Troy Taormina-Imagn Images

The Houston Rockets have begun the season with a record of 2-2 following their recent victory against the San Antonio Spurs on Monday night. Next, the Rockets will travel to Dallas to compete against the Mavericks in the final game of their three-game road trip.

The Mavericks come into tonight's matchup with a 3-1 record and winners of their last two games. As usual, the Mavericks are led by Luka Doncic, averaging 26.8 points this season. The last time the Rockets faced off against the Mavericks was last season on March 31.

The Rockets entered the game with their best winning streak of the season at 11 games and were eager to catch up to the Warriors for the last play-in spot. However, the game quickly slipped away from them, as they were overwhelmed by the Mavericks right from the start.

The Mavericks led by double-digits after the first quarter, 36-24, and had a 66-45 lead at halftime. The entire Dallas roster was on fire, but one player elevated his performance to an entirely different level in that first half.

Doncic, already known as one of the best players in the league for several years, was even better than normal as he nailed step-back three after step-back three. The Rockets continued to play Doncic one-on-one for the first two quarters and Doncic took advantage scoring 32 points in the first half including a ridiculous underhand shot from 3-point range.

The Mavericks consistently used pick-and-roll plays on offense, often resulting in the Rockets switching their big men onto Doncic during the first half. It wasn't until the second half that the Rockets began trapping him, but by then, it was too late to make a significant impact.

Doncic scored 47 points, leading the Mavericks to a convincing victory and ending the Rockets' 11-game winning streak. The question is now whether or not the Rockets will double-team Doncic early if he gets hot on Thursday night.

After that game last season Ime Udoka talked about why he didn't double-team Doncic earlier on as he felt the Rockets let him do whatever he wanted on the court.

If Doncic scores frequently and effortlessly on Thursday night, the Rockets must find a way to get the ball out of his hands. While it's crucial to guard Kyrie Irving and not leave him open, the priority should be preventing Doncic from taking control of the game as he did in their last matchup.

Last season, the Rockets tried different defenders on Doncic. Everyone from Dillon Brooks to Amen Thompson took a shot at defending the All-NBA guard with little success. Udoka usually doesn't like to double-team opposing players, but that might be the best strategy to come away with their third win of the season on Thursday.

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