Exum fractures his left hand during 133-96 loss to Rockets

HOUSTON – For some unexplained reason, a dark cloud of injuries continues to hang over the Dallas Mavericks. 

Mavs guard Dante Exum fractured his left hand and left Friday’s game against Houston for good midway through the second quarter of the 133-96 loss to the Rockets. That injury, combined with the other eight Mavs players who missed the game at the Toyota Center due to injuries, had the Mavs leaving Southeast Texas with a grim look on their face.

“It’s the hand that we were dealt,” said forward Naji Marshall, who finished with 21 points and five rebounds. “At the end of the day we just got to keep pushing.

“Praises up for Dante for a speedy recovery, and hopefully he gets back as soon as he can.”

It’s a painful set of circumstances for Exum, who fractured his right hand on the opening day of training camp last September and didn’t play his first game this season until Jan. 31.

“It’s tough, but it’s unfortunate,” coach Jason Kidd said. “It’s a tough season for him.

“He comes back from day one of training camp to break his right hand and come back here in the season and breaks his left hand. I feel bad for him. He worked extremely hard to get back.”

As far as the game is concerned, the Rockets took advantage of all those unfortunate injuries the Mavs are dealing with to outrebound Dallas, 67-34, including 17-6 on the offensive end of the floor. That led to Houston outscoring the Mavs in second-chance points by a wide 29-2 margin.

And as the Rockets grabbed 50 defensive rebounds, that enabled them to get out and run and outscore the Mavs in fast break points, 28-8.

“We’re small,” Kidd said. “We just couldn’t get the rebounds. It happens.

“And they did (get plenty of rebounds) and they were able to put them back in when they did.”

It was an exercise in futility for the Mavs, who dropped to 33-35 on the season entering Sunday’s 12-noon home game against the Philadelphia 76ers.

“I mean, basically (we’re) playing with no bigs,” Marshall said. “A lot of us are 6-7, 6-6 out there trying to elbow with (6-11 Rockets center Alperen) Sengun, an All-Star big. And the other guy, (Jock Landale) is 6-11.

“So, we’re trying our hardest, man. Like I said, just what we’re dealing with right now, (we) just got to get through it. No excuses. No complaints. It just is what it is.”

Spencer Dinwiddie tallied nine of his 20 points in the first quarter, which ended with the Mavs only trailing the Rockets, 27-25. But a 35-24 blitz by Houston in the second quarter led to the Rockets taking a 62-49 lead at the half.

The third quarter didn’t get much better for the Mavs, who were outscored, 37-21, in that quarter and fell behind, 99-70, entering the final quarter.

“We just couldn’t make shots,” Kidd said. “We lost Exum early. He played six minutes.

“We had some looks. They just didn’t go down. They made some shots, and they went on a run there in the second quarter.”

Brandon Williams led the Mavs with 25 points in just 26 minutes on 11-of-14 shots, and Kessler Edwards added 12 points, six rebounds and four blocks.

“He was great,” Kidd said in praising Williams. “He was attacking (and) he was playmaking.

“I thought he used his speed in a positive way tonight, getting in the paint and being able to knock down some threes.”

While stretching their record to 42-25, the Rockets were paced by Tori Eason (30 points, eight rebounds), Jalen Green (23 points, nine boards), Sengun (16 points, 15 rebounds), Jabari Smith Jr. (13 points) and Aaron Holiday (13 points).

Klay Thompson (2-of-16 with five points) and Max Christie (1-of-13 with two points) struggled mightily for the Mavs. As for Christie, Kidd said: “We can only hope that we can help B-Will and put people in that situation to create shots for others, too, as we go forward here and we get Christie some clean looks.

“But it’s hard when Christie is trying to work off the dribble and create his own shots. He had some good looks that didn’t go down. He had some tough looks. So for that, we’re going to continue to keep working and stay positive and he’ll work his way through this.”

On the Mavs getting some healthy bodies back and working their way out of this dark hole, Marshall was reminiscing to his days playing for the New Orleans Pelicans.

“I think we had a little bad luck in New Orleans when I was there,” he said. “A lot of our best players either got injured at the wrong time or we just didn’t have that many guys.

“Like I said, it is what it is. We’re going to get through this tough time. But it always gets greater later.”

X: @DwainPrice