HOUSTON -- It seems nothing can distract the Houston Rockets right now.
Donatas Motiejunas was supposed to show up at the Toyota Center on Saturday but told ESPN he was asked to go home after his physical. The Rockets don't seem too concerned about the ongoing drama surrounding Motiejunas, though, and why would they? Once again, after a tough win the previous night, the Rockets took care of business.
This time Houston knocked off Dallas 109-87 at the Toyota Center, extending its win streak to a season-high six games. The last time Houston won six consecutive games was the start of the 2014-15 season.
"I would say our attitudes and the chemistry of the team, everybody is looking forward to the next game, the next practice," said Eric Gordon on the key to the win streak. "There's not been one bad day here as far as guys (arguing), everybody gets along. That's the best part about it. I haven't been on too many teams like this where everybody from player, coach everybody gets along. That's the best thing about it."
As it has been for the majority of the season, 3-pointers set the tone for Houston. On the night, the Rockets made 19 3-pointers, the second-highest total of the season. They made 51.4 percent of their 3s against the Mavericks on Saturday night. When Houston makes at least 40 percent of its 3s this season, the team is 9-0.
James Harden and Gordon led the way with 18 points each Saturday. Harden was only one rebound away from a triple-double and one assist (16) away from tying his career high. Harden almost had as many assists as the Mavericks (18).
In the opening quarter, Harden had seven assists as the Rockets went 4-of-6 from 3-point range.
"I felt like that first quarter got away from us," Mavs coach Rick Carlisle said. "We gave up two long passes, we fouled 3-point shooters twice and we just did things that are cardinal sins against these guys because they are so good offensively. When you get that kind of a bad start on the road, it just makes it harder. We hung in and kept it within 10 or 11 a lot of the game, but it was hard getting over the hump."
At times, the Rockets looked bored in the third quarter, as their 16-point lead dwindled to just nine. Trevor Ariza struck for three consecutive 3s, though, ending any doubt about who was going to win the game.
"It was a drag, it was dull, we just couldn't find energy, but Trevor made some big shots," Harden said. "He got us going and pushed the lead up going into the fourth quarter."
It's a sign of maturity for a team when it has lulls the way the Rockets did in the third quarter, only to make the necessary runs to put the game away.
When you have shooters like the Rockets have -- Ryan Anderson, Harden, Gordon and Ariza -- you aren't out of too many games.
"We're playing for each other," Harden said. "Some nights different guys can get it going."
The Rockets have moved into the third seed in the Western Conference, which is quite the feat considering the past two weekends.
Late last week, the Rockets won a double overtime game at Golden State, then went to Denver and beat the Nuggets the next night after getting into town at 5 a.m. local time. Moving to this week, on Friday night, the Rockets held on to defeat Oklahoma City on the road and came home to defeat an injury-depleted Mavericks team.
It would appear nothing bothers this Rockets team.
"It doesn't faze my team, it fazes me, I know that," coach Mike D'Antoni said. "They're pretty confident in the sense they know what they can do and but also we got to guard against that. We have to worry about ourselves and be great."