NBA on Nov. 28: Mavericks hand Rockets fourth straight loss

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Wednesday night featured 10 NBA regular season games. Houston's 108-128 loss to the Dallas Mavericks at home not only marked their fourth straight loss, but also dropped them to second last in the Western Conference.

Triple-double for Harden, 20-point loss for Houston

James Harden put down his first triple-double (25 points, 11 rebounds and 17 assists) of the 2018-19 season, but the Houston Rockets lost 108-128 to the Dallas Mavericks. /VCG Photo

The Houston Rockets returned to the Toyota Center after three straight losses on their Eastern Conference road trip. Without Chris Paul, the team had to rely on James Harden and Eric Gordon to turn the situation around for them. Harden worked hard enough, judging by both his 37 minutes on the court and first triple-double (25 points, 11 rebounds and 17 assists) of the season, but it was not enough to help his team win.

As for the Mavericks, rookie Luka Doncic continued his steady performance by dropping 20 points, six rebounds and two assists. However, the team's two veteran players, 34-year-old J.J. Barea and 35-year-old Devin Harris, also contributed to the team's big win by leading the Mavericks' bench.

Luka Doncic dropped 20 points, six rebounds and two assists to help his team win by 20. /VCG Photo

In the 20 games the Rockets have played so far, they have exposed their weaknesses to the rest of the league: only two players (Harden and Paul) can handle the ball and orchestrate, Gordon is only able to score, Clint Capela struggles to find his position off the pick and roll, and other players do not know what to do besides catch and shoot.

The Mavericks have set a good example of how to disarm the Rockets. Every time Harden asked for a screen, Dallas would double team him, which was enough to stop him from shooting three-pointers or creating direct scoring chances for his teammates. Such defense aimed to force Harden to let others take care of the ball and no matter who he passed to, Houston's offense would have been paralyzed.

Harden commits one of his eight turnovers against the Mavericks. /VCG Photo

Harden could still try to attack the rim on his own and either score himself or dish to an open teammate. However, in that case, there's a very good chance for him to commit a turnover as he's committed a total of 35 in the past four straight losses, including eight on Wednesday.

Harden's high turnover rate is not only proof of his disconnect with the rest of the team, but also indicates his time on the court may be affecting his focus. Having played over 40 minutes in all three previous games, Harden again played 37 minutes against the Mavericks, and that happened when Houston gave up by sending bench payers when there were still six minutes left in the fourth quarter.

If Harden continues to play 40+ minutes on the court, his season may come to an end around Christmas. /VCG Photo

Harden is playing 40+ minutes on the court, carrying the team's offense on his own and receiving little help from his teammates. If the Rockets continue to consume Harden like this, they may say goodbye to their 2017-18 MVP around Christmas.

Cavaliers send Kyle Korver to Jazz

Kyle Korver was traded by the Cleveland Cavaliers to the Utah Jazz. /VCG Photo

The Cleveland Cavaliers are sending Kyle Korver to the Utah Jazz in exchange for Alec Burks and two future second-round picks, reported ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski. Though he's already 37 years old, Korver's three-point shooting and experience make him a quality addition, especially to a Utah team that is desperate for players who can shoot from beyond the arc.

Sending away Korver is a signal to the rest of the league that the Cavaliers are officially open for business to trade their players, starting with J.R. Smith and George Hill.

It's already confirmed that Smith's time in Cleveland has come to an end. Hill is in a similar situation considering that the team is giving rookie Colin Sexton all the time he needs to adjust to the NBA.

The Cavaliers are looking to unload George Hill (#3) and J.R. Smith (#5) as they rebuild. /VCG Photo

However, it could be tricky to find teams willing to accept Smith and Hill. First, they are both older players: Smith is 33 years old while Hill is 32. Second, they both have big contracts longer than one year and have failed to deliver performances worth the money. Smith still has two years left on his contract including 14.7 million U.S. dollars this season and 3.87 million U.S. dollars guaranteed for the 2019-20 season. Hill will receive 19 million U.S. dollars this season and has 1 million U.S. dollars guaranteed for next season. This means that their contracts will only be valuable in deals after the 2018-19 season.

Kevin Love and Tristan Thompson have more complicated cases. The Cavaliers gave Love a four-year contract extension worth 120 million U.S. dollars in July, partly to see him as a foundation player for the team in the future. However, Love has never proved that he's a qualified leader and he has been bothered by injuries since joining Cleveland. Thompson has two years left on his contract and he is a decent rebounder. However, lacking shooting range plus the fact that he cannot protect the paint will both hurt Thompson's value on the team and on the market.

Kevin Love (#0) and Tristan Thompson (#13) are not 100-percent safe with Cleveland. /VCG Photo

The Rockets and the Los Angeles Lakers are considered two potential customers of the Cavaliers. Both are looking for players who can shoot three-pointers and defend but they have their problems, too. The Rockets do not have young assets that can interest Cleveland as the team seeks to rebuild the franchise. The Lakers have enough leverage but they have bigger concerns for the 2019 free-agent market, meaning that they don't want long contracts to occupy the team's payroll.

Other games on Wednesday included: (away teams come first)

Atlanta Hawks 94-108 Charlotte Hornets

New York Knicks 91-117 Philadelphia 76ers

Utah Jazz 101-91 Brooklyn Nets

Chicago Bulls 113-116 Milwaukee Bucks

San Antonio Spurs 89-128 Minnesota Timberwolves

Washington Wizards 104-125 New Orleans Pelicans

Cleveland Cavaliers 83-100 Oklahoma City Thunder

Orlando Magic 112-115 Portland Trail Blazers

Phoenix Suns 99-115 Los Angeles Clippers