HOUSTON \u2014 The Dallas Mavericks were crushed in their regular-season opener, a 33-point loss to the San Antonio Spurs. On Monday, the Mavericks got another chance at an intrastate opponent. They were competitive against the Houston Rockets, but late-game execution issues were the difference in Dallas\u2019 110-102 defeat.<\/p>\n
D\u2019Angelo Russell\u2019s free throw with a little less than three minutes remaining pulled Dallas within one point of the lead. The rest of the way, the Mavericks didn\u2019t score. They missed all five shots they attempted and committed two turnovers in the final 2:49 of the game.<\/p>\n
The Mavericks, who during training camp said they had aspirations of competing for a championship this season, will head back home with the fourth-worst point differential in the NBA, the league\u2019s 30th-ranked offense and the knowledge that they are third in the pecking order of the Lone Star State\u2019s teams.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe had some great looks,\u201d Mavericks coach Jason Kidd said about Dallas\u2019 late-game offense. \u201cWe aren\u2019t shooting the 3 extremely well. But we had some looks that normally go down for us. At some point, they will this season.\u201d<\/p>\n
The Mavericks\u2019 3-point shooting was an obvious concern entering this season. So far, Dallas has shot the ball worse than even many skeptics anticipated. It made 9 of 36 from behind the arc Monday, dropping it down to 30th in 3s made per game this season.<\/p>\n
Russell and Klay Thompson are two of the only players on the roster who have been consistent 3-point shooters throughout their careers. Seven games into the season, Thompson is 11 of 40 from distance, while Russell has converted 11 of 37 long-distance looks. In Houston, the two of them combined to make 2 of 14 on 3s.<\/p>\n
Russell\u2019s final attempt of the night was a 24-foot stepback with 42 seconds left. Russell launched it over Alperen \u015eeng\u00fcn\u2019s outstretched arms and missed badly.<\/p>\n
On the Mavericks\u2019 next possession, Cooper Flagg\u2019s 3 was blocked. Tari Eason\u2019s running dunk increased the Rockets\u2019 lead to eight points with 15 seconds left \u2014 effectively icing the game for Houston.<\/p>\n
\u201cI thought we made a lot of right plays down the stretch,\u201d Kidd said. \u201cWe just couldn\u2019t get the stop or we couldn\u2019t make the shot. It happens. We just have to stay together, keep working. We\u2019ll be in that situation a lot this season. Hopefully, we\u2019ll learn from this.\u201d<\/p>\n