Mavericks Finish Strong to Beat Rockets 132-115

Dallas pulls away

Marcus Smart scored 20 points for Houston, but the Dallas Mavericks closed with a 37-point fourth quarter to defeat the Rockets 132-115 in a preseason game Sunday, Oct. 11, 2026. The Mavericks turned a 10-point lead entering the final period into a 17-point victory at Venetian Arena in Macao.

Dallas also received 17 points from Kyrie Irving and 16 from Zaccharie Risacher, while Cooper Flagg had seven assists. For Houston, Reed Sheppard scored 17, Amen Thompson finished with six assists and Jabari Smith Jr. collected nine rebounds.

Margin grows after halftime

Dallas led 28-27 after the opening quarter, then added to its advantage with a 30-24 second period. The Mavericks carried a 58-51 lead into halftime.

Houston made the third quarter competitive, but Dallas still outscored the Rockets 37-34. Houston briefly moved ahead during the period, taking a 66-64 lead, before the Mavericks regained control. Dallas ended the quarter with a 10-point edge, leading 95-85.

Fourth-quarter finish

After Naji Marshall's free throws opened the fourth, the Rockets scored six straight points from Bruce Thornton and Bogdan Bogdanovic to trim the deficit to 97-91. Dallas answered with scores from Marshall and Risacher, then continued to build its lead as the quarter progressed.

Risacher added a 23-foot 3-pointer and later a reverse dunk, while Tarik Biberovic made a 25-foot 3-pointer and finished a running layup. Sergio de Larrea also scored during Dallas' closing stretch. Houston's final points came from Oscar Tshiebwe, but the Rockets could not close the gap.

Records

The NBA China Game drew 11,711 at Venetian Arena. Houston won the first game in Macao 135-117, so Dallas and Houston are both 1-1 in the preseason.

Sources

ESPN