The drastic differences between game one and game two of this week's back-to-back with Chicago and Houston represent exactly what this Dallas Mavericks team is currently – Inconsistent.

Without Luka Doncic, the Mavs dropped a winnable game in Chicago. Giving up 29 points to Zach LaVine in the first half. And then, with Doncic's 33-point triple-double and Tim Hardaway Jr.'s 30-point night, Dallas closed out the Houston Rockets in 'prove yourself' fashion.

Dallas, marred by early inconsistency, played like two different teams in a 48-hour span. Exemplifying the theme of the season thus far: a tale of two teams.

Chicago's missteps:

Against Chicago, Dallas' inability to defend at the rim sunk its chances at closing out the game.

Coming into the game, the Mavericks were giving up a league-worst 71 percent of attempts at the rim. The lack of rim protection, due to Kristaps Porzingis still sidelined, only amplified the already glaring issue. Dallas' big man Dwight Powell became more of a turnstile than a defender. And his recent trend of being the statistically worst rim protector at the center position in the league continued. On the season, opposing players are shooting 81.3 percent at the rim when defended by Powell. He offers offensive flexibility, but for a team destitute with defensive failures, Powell has yet to be the answer.

Return of the Brunson show:

One bright spot in Chicago was Jalen Brunson. He scored 31 points in Luka's absence. And he kept Dallas in the game for long stretches when nothing could get going offensively. However, he wasn't flawless. As the game slipped away in the fourth quarter, Brunson made crunch time mistakes that ended the Mavs' hopes of winning the game. Yet, this is his modus operandi. For long stretches, he is everything Dallas' offense needs him to be. And then in the biggest moments, he makes critical mistakes. Though Brunson was a bright spot, he needs to find some mode of consistency not only game-to-game but in moment-to-moment sequences.

Dallas' offensive showcase against Houston:

Now that the bad is out of the way, let's look at Doncic's first triple-double of the season.

Luka concluded Monday night's game with 33 points, 11 assists and 16 rebounds. He was everywhere on the floor and then some. The day off against Chicago seemed to help because, for the first time all year, Luka had a pep in his jog up and down the floor.

Here was the assist that gave Doncic the triple-double:

Doncic's effort needs to be consistent, but do I dare say he's back? For long stretches, during the first half, the Mavs offense looked like the offense seen last season. Heading into the locker room at halftime Dallas was 10-22 from three. Seeing how well the offense played could make one think, 'where has this team been all season?' And it goes back to the inconsistent effort seen nightly.

What helped the Dallas' offense reach its blistering pace was the unconscious shooting of Hardaway Jr. He scored 13 of his 30 points in the fourth quarter, and he finally looked like the sharpshooter Dallas fans thought they had in him. He got his shot off in a bevy of ways. From quick trigger threes to contested pull-ups, every shot fell for him early and late.

An important thing to note is that Hardaway Jr. came off the bench in Monday's contest. That marked the first time since midway through last season that he played a reserve role. His instant offense was an immediate benefit for Dallas early. But it still is unknown whether he plays out the rest of the season coming off the bench.

Looking forward:

The day we see two back-to-back Mavericks games that look remotely similar is the day where this team turns a corner. Luka looks better on the floor. And Hardaway Jr. is finding his groove as an offensive release valve for the Mavs. The defense is still in question, and Porzingis has no timetable for his return.

It's always a tale of two teams with the Mavs. Hopefully, going forward, Dallas chooses to be the team it was against the Rockets on Monday night. If it is, and Porzingis is added back into the mix, Dallas fans might have a contender on their hands. Let's not get too ahead of ourselves though, it's time to focus on beating the Nuggets on TNT Thursday.

Feature image via  Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports.