Preview: Kidd to miss tonight’s game after testing positive for COVID-19

MAVERICKS (20-18) AT HOUSTON ROCKETS (11-28)

Time: 7 p.m.

Place: Toyota Center, Houston

TV: BSSW

Radio: The Eagle, 97.1 FM; Univision 99.1 FM (Spanish)

About the Mavericks: Coach Jason Kidd will miss tonight’s game after he said he tested positive for COVID-19. Kidd told Mavs. com: “I feel like I have a cold.” He became the 13th NBA head coach to enter the health and safety protocols this season. Kidd tested positive Thursday night after the Mavs flew to Houston to prepare for tonight’s game against the Rockets. Assistant coach Sean Sweeney will be the acting head coach for the Mavs tonight. . .The Mavs are currently playing their best basketball of the season. They’ve won four consecutive games, which is their longest winning streak of the season. In fact, that streak would have reached six in a row if the Mavs wouldn’t have lost the Dec. 29 game at Sacramento when Chimezie Metu dropped in a three-point dagger at the buzzer that clipped the Mavs, 95-94. Before that heartbreaking loss to the Kings, the Mavs won at Portland, 131-117. . .The game against Portland is the last time a Mavs’ foe scored 100 or more points. That defensive scoring streak has reached five straight games where no Mavs’ opponents has scored at least 100 points. That includes holding the highly-regarded and hot-shooting Golden State Warriors to just 82 points this past Wednesday. That’s the fewest points the Warriors – who came into American Airlines Center sporting the NBA’s best record — have scored in a game this season. . .The last time the Mavs went five consecutive games without allowing at least 100 points was Nov. 14-21, 2016. Ironically, neither team in those five games scored more than 96 points as the Mavs lost at New York (93-77), at Boston (90-83), at home to Memphis (80-64), at Orlando (95-87) and at San Antonio (96-91). . .Luka Doncic is doubtful for tonight’s game with a right ankle sprain that he suffered late in Wednesday’s 99-82 victory over the Warriors. Meanwhile, Kristaps Porzingis, Boban Marjanovic and Isaiah Thomas will all sit out tonight’s game while in the health and safety protocols, and Willie Cauley-Stein is sidelined due to personal reasons. . .The 10-day contract Thomas signed on Dec. 29 under the COVID-related hardship allowance expires after tonight’s game. . .Doncic finished with 26 points, seven rebounds and eight assists in the win over the Warriors.

About the Rockets: It’s been a topsy-turvey season for the Rockets, who lost 15 straight games from Oct. 24-Nov. 22, then immediately followed that up with seven consecutive wins from Nov. 24-Dec. 8. That includes wins over Chicago (118-113) and Brooklyn (114-104), the top two teams in the Eastern Conference. . .The Rockets have dropped 12 of their past 15 games, including eight of their last nine games.  . .The Rockets snapped an eight-game losing streak thanks to Wednesday’s dramatic 114-111 victory at the Washington Wizards when Kevin Porter Jr. drilled a three-pointer with just 0.4 seconds remaining. Before his game-winning bucket, Porter was just 2-of-12 from the field. . .Christian Wood (22 points, 11 rebounds, three steals), Jalen Green (22 points, six boards), Eric Gordon (19 points), Jae’Sean Tate (13 points, 10 rebounds) and Kenyon Martin Jr. (11 points) led the way against the Wizards for the Rockets, who won despite turning the ball over 20 times. . .Wood leads he Rockets with 16.9 ppg and 10.4 rpg. The 6-10 center is averaging 19.5 ppg and shooting 50.9 percent from the field during wins by the Rockets, and 15.8 ppg and shooting 45.5 percent from the floor during losses. . .Green, who was the No. 2 overall pick of last summer’s NBA Draft, is averaging 15.6 ppg, but shooting just 39.9 percent from the floor. After he missed 14 games from Nov. 27-Jan. 1 with an injury, Green has returned and averaged 20.5 ppg on 44.6 percent shooting in his last six games. . .Gordon averages 14.7 ppg and has converted 49.4 percent of his shots, and in his last 15 games is shooting 55 percent from the field and 50 percent from beyond the three-point arc. He also is third in the NBA in three-point shooting at 45.6 percent. . .Porter is averaging 12.6 ppg and 5.8 apg, and also averages 8.1 apg during wins by the Rockets and just 4.8 apg in their losses. . .A second-year forward out of Ohio State, Tate is averaging 12.5 ppg and 5.8 rpg.

Twitter: @DwainPrice