Tari Eason delivered a career-high 30 points as the Houston Rockets cruised to a 133-96 victory over the short-handed Dallas Mavericks on Friday night.
Jalen Green added 23 points and nine rebounds, despite sitting out the entire fourth quarter, as Houston extended its winning streak to five games.
The Rockets (42-25) remained dominant throughout the night, leading by double digits for most of the game and using a 37-point third quarter to put Dallas away.
Eason sparked a 7-0 run in the third quarter with a three-pointer, pushing the lead to 80-57, and the advantage ballooned to 96-65 by the end of the period.
Brandon Williams led the Mavericks (33-35) with 25 points off the bench, but Dallas struggled with its depleted roster, losing for the seventh time in eight games.
Klay Thompson endured a rough shooting night, going 2-for-16 from the field and finishing with five points and nine rebounds.
Dallas suffered another setback when head coach Jason Kidd revealed that Dante Exum sustained a broken left hand, likely ending his season.
Houston controlled the glass with a 67-34 rebounding edge, including a 17-6 advantage in offensive boards, leading to a 29-2 margin in second-chance points.
Alperen Sengun recorded a double-double with 16 points and 15 rebounds, while Jabari Smith Jr. chipped in 13 points and eight boards off the bench.
Dallas will look to regroup as it continues to navigate injuries to key players, including Kyrie Irving, Anthony Davis, P.J. Washington Jr., and Dereck Lively II.
