Rockets vs. Mavericks Takeaways: Too Much Luka, Jabari Smith Jr. Shines, Washington Over Nix

 The Houston Rockets (9-23) ended their seven-game homestand Friday night in a 112-106 loss to the Dallas Mavericks (17-16) behind Luka Doncic's 50-point performance.

Here are three takeaways from the Rockets' loss. 

Too much Luka Doncic:

Luka Doncic torched the Rockets for 50 points on 17-of-30 shooting from the field and 6-of-12 from behind the arc. It's easy to assume that Doncic had his way with the Rockets. But the former EuroLeague MVP winner (2018) did not have an easy night scoring half a century.

"I'm not sure that he made an easy shot," coach Stephen Silas said. "We made every shot hard. But that is the greatness of a great player." 

Kevin Porter Jr. began the night playing solid defense to contain Doncic. Despite starting the game scoring five points, Porter held Doncic to 0-of-2 shooting when guarding him one-on-one. 

But Porter picked up his third foul with 5 minutes and 33 seconds left in the first quarter. His early foul trouble changed Silas' defensive scheme, given that Porter was the primary defender to guard Doncic. 

Several players held their own guarding the MVP candidate. Great lateral quickness. Solid physicality. And trapped Doncic at times to force him to give up the ball. But Doncic proved to be unstoppable. 

"That changed the game a lot," Silas said. "It limited them on how much Scoot [Kevin Porter Jr.] could play during the first half. He has the length and quickness to match with Luka."

The game marked the first 50-point performance the Rockets gave up since Corey Brewer in April of 2014. Doncic also scored the second-most points as a Maverick against the Rockets since Dirk Nowitzki (53) during an overtime win in December of 2004.

Jabari Smith Jr. shines in career night:

Jabari Smith Jr. scored nearly half of Doncic's season-high of 50 points. But the rookie from Auburn University had one of the most impressive performances of his young career. 

Smith finished with a career-high 24 points on 10-of-17 shooting, 3-of-8 from behind the arc, 10 rebounds and a block. 

He played the most vital role in helping the Rockets erase a 16-point deficit during their second-half surge.

"It's the feel of the game," Smith said. "I've been learning myself and my teammates. I know where I'm going to get my shots from, and the ball is going into the hoop."

On several occasions, Smith initiated the offense and facilitated the ball to prevent the Rockets from becoming stagnant. 

His best moment as a facilitator took place midway through the first quarter by connecting with Alperen Sengun for a fastbreak dunk. Sengun accounted for two of Smith's three assists on the night.

Smith had his best offensive performance of the season, but he continues to showcase why he feels that defense is his greatest attribute. He stepped up to defend Doncic and held his own despite his big night. 

"I want to guard the best player every night — it doesn't matter if they are the biggest or the smallest player," Smith said. "It's my competitiveness. Scoot and J.G. [Jalen Green] have a big load to carry on the offensive end. I'm trying to step in and bring that energy and effort on defense."

The Rockets held every player outside of Doncic under 12 points, with Smith as the team's defensive anchor. Davis Bertans and Spencer Dinwiddie each scored 11 points as Dallas' next-highest scorers. 

Daishen Nix and TyTy Washington Jr in position battle for minutes:

Before the game, Silas appeared on SportsTalk 790 and stated that Daishen Nix and TyTy Washington Jr. are currently in a position battle for minutes. 

Nix has received most of the minutes to backup Porter over the previous two games. But against the Mavericks, Washington took the helm as the Rockets' backup point guard.

He played for 12:05 minutes. 

The majority of Washington's minutes came midway through the second quarter. His production helped the Rockets regain their composure after falling behind by 16 points. Nix finished the game with a little under nine minutes of play.

Best Performance:

Smith was by far the Rockets' best player. He recorded his sixth career double-double and left an impact on both ends. Houston's next best player was second-year guard Jalen Green. He scored 13 of his 23 points during the third quarter and tied a career-high eight rebounds.

Worst performance:

The Rockets did not have a player who had an underwhelming performance. The closest one may have been Garrison Mathews. He registered a team-low minus-16. But Mathews' play against the Mavericks was his first game since Dec. 15 due to a non-COVID illness.

Final Words:

"I was proud of the way our guys fought. They made every shot difficult. But that is what Luka does." — Stephen Silas