HOUSTON — The Houston Rockets’ game plan was simple: Let anyone but Dallas Mavericks guard Kyrie Irving beat you.
Rockets coach Ime Udoka, who coached Irving for one season as an assistant with the Brooklyn Nets, has praised the veteran point guard whenever asked about his former player.
He showed that admiration by blitzing Irving off ball screens all night. He also assigned All-Defensive selection Amen Thompson to Irving to start the game, and when Irving went to the bench, he was given the supposed respite of playing against former Defensive Player of the Year Marcus Smart.
On some possessions, the Rockets guarded Irving 94 feet. Eventually, Mavericks coach Dusty May decided to let other players such as Cooper Flagg, Naji Marshall and Sergio de Larrea bring the ball up the court, but that wasn’t nearly as effective. The three combined for six turnovers.
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