Mavericks vs. Rockets Game 3 playoff preview: Dallas finds itself adrift

When it rains it pours. Wednesday was certainly a day, now wasn't it? Parsons is ruled out for the season. Oof. Rondo is dismissed from the team due to "medical" reasons. Oof. I won't rehash the goings on of that day here, though. My colleagues here at Mavs Moneyball have done a fine job covering the events of that day. Besides, since I sometimes play a doctor here on the site, I appreciate the danger of re-opening old wounds. (Hint: I made a reference to a movie in the first and last sentence in this paragraph. Guess it and you win.)

I suppose it's time to get on with the preview.

Can the Mavericks stop the pick and roll?

Take a look at this:

The easy answer is to say that maybe Dallas can slow down the Rockets' PnR -- but it has been clear that the Mavs simply don't have the personnel stop it. Josh Smith and Dwight Howard shredded the Mavericks' PnR defense.

However, it's not just Houston's recognizable big men that are terrorizing Dallas. No, it's a whole slew of frontcourt players that the Rockets are running out. Casual NBA fans are as familiar with them as they are with the Houthis in Yemen.

MOAR AMINU!!

Why isn't Al-Farouq Aminu starting? At this point it's worth a shot, isn't it? Two starters are already out and Richard Jefferson would probably play just the same coming off the bench. Besides, which of the starters is going to guard James Harden now? Monta Ellis? Hell nah! START AMINU! THERE'S NOTHING LEFT TO LOSE AT THIS POINT EXCEPT TWO MORE GAMES! A-MI-NU! A-MI-NU! I mean, look at this hustle:

Are you there, Dirk? It's me, Doyle.

PLEASE SHOW UP! PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE!! Game 1 was great. Game 2 not so much. C'mon, Dirk, we need another Game 1 performance.

And you wanted to play the Rockets?

A number of people, smart people, told me leading up to the playoffs that they hoped the Mavericks would face the Rockets in the first round. I never quite understood that reasoning. Sure, Patrick Beverley is out for the season but Houston remains an extremely potent offense with athleticism in spades. Perhaps everyone, including myself for the briefest instant, bought into the lie that the Mavericks actually had a chance. It's clear now that they never did. At least I can enjoy watching Corey Brewer.

Perhaps that's a depressing outlook but don't shed a tear for me or the Mavericks. We both chose our fate.

Fin, indeed.

Game information

6:00 p.m. Central on ESPN and TXA21