The Dallas Mavericks started the 2026-27 regular season against the in-state rival Houston Rockets.

Someone should've let the Mavericks know that.

It was a fun first quarter, with the Mavericks starting 6/10 from three, with a showcase of great ball movement, versatile lineups, and a lot of depth.

It started to fall off the rails on a missed goaltending call that would've given the Mavericks a bucket in the closing minute.

The second quarter was one of the worst quarters you could possibly watch in the NBA. The Mavericks missed their next 17 three-point attempts, were outscored 38-12 in the frame, and had eight turnovers.

It emphasized a lot of the team's weaknesses, and they looked glaring as they entered the halftime break with a 70-38 deficit.

The Mavericks don't have the shooting or natural scorers to help make up that kind of deficit, so the second half was smooth sailing for the Rockets.…