Jalen Green’s 23 points and 12 rebounds propelled the Houston Rockets (3-2) to a 108-102 win over the Dallas Mavericks (3-2) on Thursday night. Despite a late rally by Dallas, Houston held strong to secure their victory, leading by as much as 23 points in the third quarter.
Houston saw contributions from Alperen Sengun, who notched a double-double with 17 points and 12 rebounds, and Dillon Brooks, who added another 17 points. Tari Eason’s energy off the bench brought 15 points, as the Rockets’ reserves outscored the Mavericks’ bench 33-21, giving Houston a critical edge.
Dallas kept the game close in the final minutes, with Luka Doncic scoring 15 of his 29 points in the fourth quarter, cutting Houston’s lead to three with just over a minute remaining. Kyrie Irving scored 28 for the Mavericks, while Klay Thompson contributed 12 points as the only other Dallas player in double figures.
Doncic made a crucial 3-pointer to bring the Mavericks within striking distance at 103-100, but Amen Thompson responded with a fadeaway jumper, extending Houston’s lead to five with just 43 seconds left. Houston’s strong start, including holding Dallas to 2-for-12 from beyond the arc in the first half, helped them build a sizable cushion early.
Houston’s fast pace saw them put up 97 field goal attempts, capitalizing on Dallas’ interior foul trouble that limited the Mavericks’ center duo of Daniel Gafford and Dereck Lively. The Rockets’ aggressive play paid off as they outrebounded Dallas 50-37 and outscored them 20-8 on second-chance points.
