‘Be Where Your Feet Are’: Caleb Martin’s Tying Three Helps Dallas Mavericks Beat Houston Rockets In Second Game Back

DALLAS — Caleb Martin tied the game at 88 with a 24-foot three with 7:43 left on Friday night, and the Dallas Mavericks went on to beat the Houston Rockets 116-111 at American Airlines Center. It was Martin’s second game back from a right thumb sprain.

Martin scored 8 points on 3-of-5 shooting, including 2-of-3 from three-point range, in 25 minutes, 1 second off the bench. He played all 12 minutes of the fourth quarter, and Dallas outscored Houston by 13 with him on the floor in that period.

The thumb injury kept Martin out of the Mavericks’ first four games. He made his season debut Wednesday in a 120-96 win over the Oklahoma City Thunder, scoring 10 points on 4-of-6 shooting in 14 minutes.

Friday gave Martin multiple threes in consecutive games for the first time since Dec. 23 and 25, 2024. He is 7-of-11 from the field and 4-of-7 from three-point range through two games.

“I feel good. I feel good. It just feels good to be out there and be playing. Everything else feels pretty good,” Martin said. “Just being able to be out there and be confident in what I’m doing.”

Caleb Martin’s Fourth Quarter Against Houston

Dallas trailed 84-76 entering the fourth quarter. P.J. Washington found Martin for the tying three, and 42 seconds later, Kyrie Irving hit a 28-foot pull-up for a 91-88 lead.

Irving later set up Martin for a fast-break finger roll with 5:57 left that made it 95-90. Martin went 2-of-2 from the field in the period and picked up 4 of his 5 fouls.

“Just resilient. I love that, like, how new we are, but like how fast we’re [jelling] together, and that we’re trusting the habits that are being instilled by coach from the top down, and just trusting the process and trusting the blueprint and what we’re trying to build here,” Martin said. “So I love the fact that guys, the buy-in is there.”

In the first half, Martin went 1-of-3 from the field. He made both of his attempts after halftime.

“Feels amazing. I mean, that’s just a product of that, I think, of what anything is. The less you’re thinking, the better it is. And any time you can play freely and your team and your coaches are instilling confidence, believe in you and stuff like that, that’s superpowers,” Martin explained. “So it goes a long way. So anywhere you can be there, be where your feet are, and people trusting you like that, believing you, and people are supporting you and celebrating you and vice versa, like that’s the place where you want to be.”

Mavericks coach Dusty May mentioned Martin in his opening remarks after the game. Dallas is 2-0 since Martin returned.

“Caleb Martin, back the last couple games from injury, has been showing what he is, a winning player, and so on to the next,” May said.

Martin On The Mavericks’ Defense And Young Core

Houston made 7 of its 29 three-point attempts, its lowest total of the season. In the previous game, Dallas held Oklahoma City to 5 threes, the Thunder’s fewest since 2023-24.

“Big time. We’re showing really good signs that we’re able to stay in front of the ball, that we have each other’s back, that we’re there for the help, that we’re communicating better,” Martin said. “And there’s still so many jumps and leaps that we can take and so much more room to grow for us, which is the exciting part.”

Martin, 31, is in his eighth NBA season. Dallas went 26-56 last season.

“I feel good, and I understand that it’s going to look differently on a nightly [basis] for me, and that’s always been my role. But it just shows that there’s pockets and there’s opportunity for me to contribute,” Martin said. “And playing with confidence and just letting it go and stuff like that is always going to be beneficial not only to myself but to the team. So we do a good job of pushing each other and allowing each other to be who we are individually, because everybody has something special to bring to the team.”

Irving scored 35 points, 26 of them after halftime, in his fifth game back from the torn ACL that sidelined him for all of last season. Cooper Flagg added 33 points in the 75th game of his career.

“Like he never left. Like, it is crazy, like, it’s so early. That, like, again, even with him is that he, you can tell he’s still, like, easing into it, which is crazy to say, all performances like that,” Martin said of Irving. “With him, you just never know. There’s always, like, it seems like there’s another level. It’s like you’re never surprised when you do something amazing, but every time you’re like, ‘S—, that was dope.’ That’s crazy.”

“Same thing with Cooper. Same thing with our own eyes with him, too. It’s like the team just has another level that they just keep showing us,” Martin continued. “S—, I’m just happy they’re on our side.”

Flagg is 19 and in his second NBA season. He had 6 assists Friday, and Martin’s tying three came while Flagg was on the bench.

“Just learning his spots, learning what he likes to do and places, times and places, time to score, where he wants to get. And just really good communication at such a young age. He communicates really well,” Martin said. “He’s just all about winning. So it’s just the habits that have been there.”

The Mavericks are 4-2 and host the Sacramento Kings on Monday at American Airlines Center. Tip-off is set for 7 p.m. CT.