The 15+5 forward is injured, and the Rockets starting five are expected to form a twin tower. Adams will guard the basket and Shepard will be substituted.

After a wave of three consecutive victories, the Rockets have hit the top 8 in the Western Conference. The team's offensive firepower ranks among the best. Relying on the advantages of the height and wingspan of the five major lineups, the defense drives the scoring. It is very promising to reach the top 4 in the regular season. But the Rockets' goal this season is the championship, and they need to make achievements when playing against strong teams. At 9:00 on November 4th, the Rockets faced the Mavericks. There was a lot to watch in this game, with more focus on the performance of No. 1 pick Flagg and whether he could play a masterpiece game.

According to Rockets reporter Danielle Lerner, Jabari Smith Jr. sprained his ankle and is doubtful for the game against the Mavericks. The Rockets have no shortage of manpower on the front line. Tate is back, as well as veteran Green, and new aid Finney Smith is still recovering from injury. Smith's short absence does not affect the overall situation. This season, Jabari Smith has improved on both ends of the offense and defense, averaging 15+5 per game. Two high-shooters with Durant ensure stable firepower.

The first substitute on the forward line is Ethan, but considering the thickness of the substitute lineup, the Rockets are expected to reorganize the twin tower lineup, with Adams + Shen Jing starting. Davis, the core of the Mavericks, is absent due to injury. The key to the Rockets' victory lies in the inside. Adams guards the basket, does a good job of defense and offensive rebounds, reduces the pressure on Shen Jing, and devotes more to scoring. Shen Jing has made 9 three-pointers in 5 games, playing more easily. The twin-tower partnership is Uduka's preferred starter, but the effect was not good at the beginning of the season and had to be changed.

The two guards Amen + Okogie started together, and the effect was better than expected. Both of them were more defensive than offensive. However, after entering the starting lineup, Okogie averaged 10 points per game and shot 60% from three-point range, making up for Amen's shooting shortcomings. The Rockets have a regular nine-man rotation this season. Smith cannot play. Tate is expected to enter the rotation. His snake oil attributes give him an advantage. He played 8 minutes in the last quarter of the last game and scored 2 points and 1 rebound. He has rich game experience.

The Mavericks have completely sunk this season, only getting 2 points and 4 rebounds. Flagg, the new No. 1 pick, averaged 13.8 points, 6.5 rebounds and 3 assists in the first 6 games, with a shooting percentage of only 37%. Kidd's use of him is somewhat controversial. He played forward in college and will play the No. 1 position this season. In the game against the Rockets, he will encounter Amen with top defensive capabilities. The Rockets' bench rotation will not change, with Shepard, Ethan and Capela as the core. Shepard hit 4 three-pointers in the last game and is very capable of grabbing points from the bench.

Uduka's tactical system is also being adjusted, and the use of Durant has also changed. He only played 29 minutes in the last game. In the regular season, he must be used protectively and is only responsible for scoring. The Rockets have two magic weapons to win this season. The first is the three-point shooting rate, which is as high as 45%. It currently ranks first in the NBA. The second is rebounding. Players such as Adams and Amen are very capable of rushing for rebounds. This is because Shen Jing often pulls to the outside. If he plays the Twin Towers for a long time, rebounding will be more advantageous.