PREVIEW: The Dallas Mavericks travel to Houston for a divisional matchup after opening the season with five home games , facing a Rockets team that has won three straight games. Dallas enters severely undermanned, already without Kyrie Irving and Dereck Lively II, now missing Anthony Davis as well. The Mavericks rank first in limiting three-point attempts allowed on defense but struggle defensively in other areas, ranking 25th in forced turnovers and 28th in rim protection. While Houston boasts the top-rated offense in the NBA, Dallas sits at 30th in offensive rating. Houston has significantly improved its three-point shooting, increasing from last season's percentage by more than 10 points and currently knocking down more than 45 percent of their attempts. The Rockets rank first in free throw rate and third in defending three-point shooting, allowing lower quality looks from deep. Houston's offensive arsenal features the 6-foot-11 Alperen Sengun and Kevin Durant as leading scorers, with Jabari Smith providing additional size at the same height, while Steven Adams leads the NBA in offensive rebounding. The Rockets have scored an average of 134.7 points during their winning streak, while the Mavericks have surrendered more than 100 points in every game this season.